The Fire outbreak that engulfed the Mobil Filling Station opposite Airport Hotel at Allen Junction in Lagos on Thursday, reportedly left two persons severely burnt and property worth millions of Naira destroyed.
According to VANGUARD report, an Eyewitnesses stated that the explosion occurred around 11 a.m., on Thursday destroying at least seven vehicles. No fatalities were reported.
Investigations has revealed that affected vehicles included both commercial and private cars and the second floor of a nearby two-story building was damaged.
Explaining the incident, the Director of Lagos Fire Service, Margaret Adeseye, stated that the explosion occurred while a gas truck was discharging its contents into a surface storage tank, which then ignited. The fire rapidly spread, consuming eight vehicles, including the tanker, and damaging parts of the top floor of a nearby two-story building.
Several individuals sustained injuries and were taken to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for treatment. The exact number of injured persons was still being confirmed at press time.
“Fire service teams from Alausa and Ikeja Fire Stations acted quickly to control the blaze. As of the latest update, efforts to dampen the affected area are ongoing,” Adeseye said.
Also, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, confirmed that while there were no deaths, two men suffered burns, and others had minor injuries.
Oke-Osanyitola added that the injured were treated by LASEMA’s Pre-Hospital Care Team and LASAMBUS before being transferred to LASUTH.
By 2 p.m., the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service had controlled the fire, preventing further damage to surrounding buildings. Rescue operations were still ongoing at the time of this report.
The incident has caused a traffic gridlock in the area, with emergency teams cordoning off the vicinity, including the busy Obafemi Awolowo Road. Motorists were redirected to alternative routes to alleviate congestion and prevent a total traffic halt.
