By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Residents scooping petroleum product |
LAGOS, NIGERIA — Chaos erupted in the early hours of Monday morning as a 45,000-litre tanker laden with diesel overturned on the Liverpool Bridge in the Apapa area of Lagos State.
The incident, which occurred on the busy route inward Mile 2, quickly drew crowds of local residents who ignored safety warnings to scoop leaking fuel.
Social media footage captured dozens of individuals armed with jerrycans and plastic containers braving the slick, hazardous surface of the bridge to collect the spilling petroleum product, despite the high risk of a catastrophic explosion.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), alongside the Lagos State Fire Service, acted swiftly to contain the situation. Officials cordoned off the affected section of the bridge to prevent a fire disaster, diverting traffic to alternate routes.
According to a statement released by LASTMA via X (formerly Twitter), the tanker's damage caused a significant spill across the bridge deck. "The diesel is spreading on the bridge as a result of the damaged tank," the agency noted, confirming that personnel from the Nigerian Police Force Area B and emergency responders were deployed to manage the escalating crowd and secure the perimeter.
To minimize the danger to the public, fire service officials used chemical dispersants to neutralize the flammable contents on the roadway. After several hours of intensive recovery efforts and traffic management using counterflow methods, the bridge was eventually reopened to vehicular movement. While the arrival of a tow truck helped clear the wreckage, the incident caused massive gridlock along the Apapa-Mile 2 corridor, leaving commuters stranded for most of the morning.
This latest incident serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers associated with fuel scooping in Nigeria. Data from the **Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)** reveals a grim reality: in 2024 alone, 411 people lost their lives across the country while attempting to fetch fuel from fallen tankers.
FRSC Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed previously highlighted that states like Kwara and Kaduna have seen the most devastating fatalities. Authorities continue to warn the public that the immediate "gain" of a few liters of fuel is never worth the risk of a sudden, deadly inferno.