A petrol-laden tanker caught fire on Thursday at the FIDSCO sector of the Sagamu-Benin expressway in Ogun State.
Seni Ogunyemi, the Commandant of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, confirmed the occurrence, stating that the truck slid into a ditch before catching fire.
According to Ogunyemi, despite warnings, some residents were spotted attempting to gather petrol from the spill.
A video of the accident scene obtained by Chronicle NG also showed several neighbours scooping up fuel.
He said, “A serious lone accident involving a loaded tanker with PMS fell into a ditch at the FISCO axis, Ijebu-Ode, along the Benin-Ijebu-Ode Motorway, inward Ijebu-Ode.”
“The police and fire service have been contacted. The community has been advised not to get close to the tanker, but they refuse. Efforts are ongoing to transload the product.”
In a subsequent update, Ogunyemi reported that the truck had caught fire.
While adding that firefighters were working to put out the fire, he did not say whether there were any casualties.
“The earlier reported laden tanker with PMS has caught fire. The fire service was there during the needful,” Ogunyemi said.