Lagos: Disaster Averted as Fuel Tanker Overturns, Spills Petrol Near NIMASA Office

A potential tragedy was narrowly avoided on Tuesday evening after a petrol-laden tanker overturned in front of the Nigerian Maritime Resources Development Centre, a facility of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in the Kirikiri area of Lagos.

The incident, which occurred along the ever-busy Kirikiri axis, caused panic as petrol gushed from the fallen tanker. Emergency teams quickly sealed off the area within a 500-metre radius to prevent an explosion.

Responders from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and the Nigeria Police Force moved swiftly to contain the situation. The spilled fuel was neutralised, while the remaining content in the tanker was safely transferred into another vehicle.

No lives were lost, and no property was damaged, according to officials at the scene. However, tension gripped nearby residents and shop owners, many of whom rushed to close their businesses in fear of a possible fire outbreak.

Three fire trucks were deployed as firefighters worked tirelessly to stabilise the area, while security operatives kept pedestrians and motorists at bay.

This marks the third fuel-related accident in Lagos within a week. A gas tanker overturned on Monday near Chisco, Victoria Island, while on October 27, a Lexus SUV collided with a petrol tanker at Berger Suya, Mile 2 — both incidents narrowly escaping disaster.