The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has warned residents against scooping spilled petroleum products or lighting naked fire following the overturning of a diesel tanker on the Liverpool Bridge, outward Apapa, Tin Can Island area of Lagos State.
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The tanker overturned in the early hours of Monday, spilling its diesel contents on top of the bridge and beneath the corridor, raising fears of a possible fire outbreak or explosion. Videos that circulated on social media showed the tanker lying on its side, with some individuals seen scooping the highly flammable substance before emergency responders arrived.
Confirming the incident, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said swift intervention by emergency responders helped avert a potential disaster. He said all relevant agencies were immediately activated and deployed to the scene to contain the spill.
“Our attention was drawn to a fallen tanker at the above location which was leaking fuel. All emergency responders were immediately activated and deployed to the scene,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He added that the situation had been brought under control through the combined efforts of LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigerian Police, and other security agencies. He assured the public that safety had been restored but urged residents to avoid the area and refrain from scooping the spilled diesel or lighting naked flames that could trigger an inferno. Motorists were also advised to take alternative routes as the state’s disaster management plan had been activated.
Also speaking, the Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, disclosed that water tankers were stationed at strategic points around the scene to prevent any secondary incident.
“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is currently salvaging a 45,000-litre diesel tanker that upturned at Liverpool Bridge, outward Apapa, Tin Can Island, Lagos,” Adeseye said, adding that the tanker was secured without escalation while security personnel kept the crowd at bay.
Eyewitnesses said the tanker tipped over during the early hours of Monday, attracting residents and passersby who attempted to scoop the diesel with jerrycans and other containers before the arrival of emergency and traffic officials.
In a post on X, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the affected section of the bridge had earlier been cordoned off but was later reopened after the spilled contents were neutralised.
“The road on Liverpool Bridge inward Apapa that was cordoned off has been reopened after the contents have been neutralised by men of the Lagos State Fire Service. LASTMA officials are doing the needful and traffic is expected to move better, while we await the arrival of a tow truck,” the agency said.
LASTMA had earlier warned motorists of slow movement along the corridor and advised them to plan their journeys accordingly.
The incident has again highlighted the recurring danger of residents scooping fuel from fallen tankers in Nigeria, a practice that has led to fatal explosions in the past. In October 2024, more than 100 people died after a petrol-laden tanker exploded on the Kano–Hadejia expressway in Jigawa State, while a similar incident in October 2025 in Niger State claimed several lives after residents rushed to collect spilled fuel.
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