No fewer than nine persons were burnt beyond recognition with 54 vehicles torched in a fuel tanker explosion on Thursday at Otedola Bridge, near the old toll gate, Alausa, Lagos.

The spokesman, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr Kehinde Adebayo, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), stressing that four persons sustained various degrees of injury.

Adebayo said the accident was caused by a fuel tanker loaded with 33,000 litres of petrol heading towards Berger along Lagos/Ibadan Express.

“On getting to the scene of the incident, it was discovered that a Mack tanker truck loaded with 33 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) moving inward Berger at about 5:23pm, fell and spilled its content on the road.

“The contents ignited fire and resulted into fire outbreak. Unfortunately, nine bodies were confirmed dead and recovered from the scene (eight adults and one minor) and four persons sustained various degrees of injury.

“All the victims have been taken to the hospital. A total number of 54 vehicles were completely burnt as a result of the inferno,” Adebayo said.

He said the LASEMA, Road Safety Corps, NSCDC, Fire Service from state and federal, LASAMBUS, LASTMA officials and Nigeria Police personnel were amongst the rescue teams at the scene.

Adebayo said all efforts would be put in place to remove all the burnt vehicles from the road as at the time if filing this report.