An explosion rocked Otedola Bridge in Lagos on Tuesday evening, unleashing a fire that razed a church, buildings, and cars. The blast, which occurred at 8:08 p.m., involved a 30-tonne DAF gas truck loaded with petroleum products.

Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scene as panic-stricken motorists scrambled to escape, making hasty U-turns or abandoning their vehicles in fear of being trapped in the inferno.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, led by Director Margaret Adeseye, battled to put out the fire and prevent it from spreading to other buildings.

According to Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), a tanker fell and caught fire.

In a post shared on X on Tuesday evening, LASTMA said the fire affected nearby structures, including a church, residential house, and mechanics’ parks at Otedola under the bridge, adjacent to CMD Road.

“Fire Rescue teams are currently at the scene, working to extinguish the fire and mitigate the situation,” the statement reads.

The fire ravaged a church, an adjoining bungalow, and four vehicles, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Emergency responders, including officials from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, were deployed to the scene to contain the disaster.”

Explaining the situation, the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said, “The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is currently attending to a fire resulting from a tanker accident outward Otedola Bridge, Omole, Lagos, at about 8 p.m. While firefighting operations are ongoing, there has been no record of casualties, with further updates to follow.”

On his part, LASEMA’s Head of Public Affairs, Boss Okunbo, simply stated, “It is some sort of explosion. Awaiting preliminary report. LASEMA’s Tiger Response Team is at the location.”

As the city struggles to come to terms with the aftermath of the explosion, investigators will seek to determine the cause of the blast and how to prevent such incidents in the future.