A truck driver narrowly escaped death on Saturday night after a Mack truck conveying an empty 20-foot container was engulfed in flames around the Alausa Secretariat, inward Otedola Bridge corridor of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The incident occurred barely days after a fatal explosion along the Lekki-Epe axis that claimed the lives of two persons, including a driver and his assistant, in a collision involving a trailer and a gas-laden truck.
Emergency response teams, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, promptly arrived at the scene to contain the blaze.
According to eyewitness accounts, the truck suddenly caught fire while in motion, forcing the driver to quickly pull over. He reportedly escaped with minor injuries.
Officials said the swift intervention of responders prevented the fire from escalating into a more devastating incident, while also ensuring that traffic flow along the busy expressway was restored with minimal delay.
Reacting, the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, reiterated the agency’s commitment to protecting lives and property on the state’s roads.
He advised motorists to prioritise routine mechanical and electrical checks on their vehicles, stressing that proper maintenance is critical to averting such emergencies.
Bakare-Oki added that the agency would continue to uphold its mandate of maintaining a safe and efficient traffic system across Lagos.