A gas tanker caught fire along Agbado Road in the Toyin area of Ifako Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State, destroying several shops and goods late Tuesday night.

The incident occurred when the tanker collided with an electric pole while attempting to enter the premises for offloading, leading to an explosion.

Margaret Adeseye, the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed the destruction in a WhatsApp conversation, stating, “The fire, which was reported at 22:04hrs Tuesday as a result of a gas tanker that accidentally caught fire and accompanied by an explosion, has been confined to the tanker and the adjoining row of shops it spread to.”

Efforts by the state fire service prevented further spread of the fire to nearby properties, including the Kerozone Petroleum Filling Station. Adeseye mentioned, “Concerted efforts are ongoing to forestall further spread to protect the environment and property.”

Lagos State Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Authority, Ibrahim Farinloye, explained that the collision caused a cable to snap, resulting in the explosion. Emergency responders, including the Lagos State Fire Services and NEMA, quickly intervened to bring the fire under control without casualties.

Farinloye emphasized, “There was a fire incident. It started when a tanker that was about to offload its content in a filling station along the road collided with an electric pole. The impact of the collision led to a cable falling on the container and therefore resulted in a spark.”

He reassured the public that no lives were lost, but some shops were destroyed. The incident follows a previous fire in the Ikate-Elegushi area of Lekki, Lagos, where makeshift structures were gutted, but there were no casualties reported.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is actively engaged in addressing fire incidents and safeguarding lives and properties across the state.