LAGOS: Travellers urged to take alternative routes as fuel-laden tanker causes gridlock on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

COMMUTERS were stuck in heavy traffic early today at the Magboro section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The gridlock was caused by a fuel tanker on which caught fire at that section of the busy Expressway.

Naija Times correspondent reported that firefighters have arrived at the scene of the fire outbreak.

According to our reporter the fuel being conveyed by the tanker had spilled to the other side of the expressway – leading inward to Lagos.

The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has become a dangerous route recently as this current fire outbreak is the fourth within a period of three months.

A fuel-laden tanker went up in flames about 25 days at the Kara end of the Expressway.

The Federal Road Safety Corps confirmed that no fewer than two persons died with 29 vehicles burnt in the November 7 incident.

In a caution notice, Federal Road Safety Commission’s Corridor Commander, Kehinde Hamzat, said the tanker went up in flames around 4:15 am.

Part of the notice read, “The Federal Road Safety Corps wishes to advise the general public on the need for adequate planning of their trips for today for users of the Lagos-Ibadan Corridor.

“The tanker explosion on Magboro bridge on the outward Lagos section of the expressway which occurred at about 0415hrs in the early hours of the day, Wednesday 2nd December, 2020 has called for the need to adjust one’s movement for the day.

“The fire is still burning as at 05.20am and this means a total standstill situation of vehicular movement along the expressway.

“Relentless efforts are still being made to extinguish the fire by men of Fire Service backed up by men of other agencies around the scene of the inferno.

“We, therefore, advise the general public to have adequate planning for their trips for those who cannot cancel their planned journeys. We also advise that travellers who are bound to transit in and out of Lagos from the neighbouring state to explore alternative routes where necessary.

“All hands on deck to ensure that the situation is professionally managed and the road returned to proper use for the public.”