Driver £scapes as truck catches fir£ near Otedola Bridge in Lagos
Driver escapes as truck catches fire near Otedola Bridge in Lagos
A yet-to-be-identified driver narrowly escaped death Saturday evening when a truck was gutted by fire at the Alausa Secretariat inward Otedola Bridge axis along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The incident occurred hours after a similar tragedy occurred along the Lekki-Epe corridor, where two persons, a driver and his assistant, lost their lives in an explosion involving a trailer and a gas truck.
Reacting to the Otedola Bridge incident, the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said in a statement released on Sunday that the incident involved a Mack truck transporting an empty 20-foot container.
“Preliminary assessments reveal that the vehicle abruptly ignited while in motion, thereby constituting an immediate and grave threat to adjoining road users and critical infrastructure within the corridor.
“In a remarkable exhibition of vigilance, professionalism and operational dexterity, LASTMA personnel promptly mobilised to the locus in quo.
“Their foremost objective the preservation of human life was achieved with the successful rescue of the truck driver, who escaped the conflagration without injury,” he said.
Given the high-risk nature of the location, particularly around the Otedola Bridge corridor, Bakare-Oki said LASTMA operatives activated emergency response protocols and collaborated with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
The joint effort led to the swift containment of the fire, preventing it from escalating into a major incident.
He added that the quick response helped to limit the spread of the fire and ensured the timely restoration of traffic flow, reducing disruption for commuters along the route.
Bakare-Oki commended the operatives for their professionalism and composure in handling the situation, reiterating the agency’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state.
Motorists were advised to carry out regular mechanical and electrical checks on their vehicles and exercise caution while on the road to prevent similar incidents.
