A fuel tanker reportedly exploded at the Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday night, March 12, 2025, killing a few people, including a newlywed couple, with 16 vehicles burned.
The accident occurred around 8 PM, as a 30-ton tanker carrying gas products, owned by a nearby gas station exploded.
The said couple, who were victims of the fatal incident, according to sources, got married just three weeks ago.
According to a report by Punch, four people, including an auto technician named Rotimi Adeleye, lost their lives, with over 16 vehicles razed in flames.
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Below are some accounts from eyewitnesses, retrieved from Punch:
“Our shops are not located on the main road, but our colleague, Mr. Rotimi Adeleye, lost his life in the accident. He had closed for the day and was leaving when the fire broke out while driving his Corolla out of the workshop.
“When the tanker fell, he stepped out of his vehicle and attempted to move a customer’s 016 Highlander to safety when the explosion occurred.
“Both his car and the customer’s vehicle he was trying to save were completely burnt. He is set to be buried this morning (Wednesday). There are two shops in our area, and the fire destroyed everything, including customers’ vehicles under repair, with a total loss of 16 cars.”
From Mr. Kolawole Ishola, who is chairman of the Mechanic Association at Advance Mechanic Workshop in the area.
Tola Kareem, a store owner recounted the event of the day; “I have two shops, which I just restocked yesterday. I sell various kinds of drinks as well as clothes. I also have two freezers and three hangers in the shop.
“Both shops were destroyed in the fire, and I also lost my Camry. My children, employees, and I barely escaped by a miracle, running outside as soon as we heard the loud explosion.”
Rafiu Jafar, a security guard at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, also gave his own account thus;
“My colleague was preparing yam inside, and I was greeting some people outside when we saw the gas tanker speeding down the CMD Road. Tankers don’t usually take this route, and I’ve never seen one come this way until last night.
“The honking was excessive. The driver tried not to ram into the building, but he died in the explosion. His body was the last one they retrieved from under the tanker. His motor boy also didn’t survive; they picked up his body. And this morning, they found a woman’s body too and a mechanic at the workshop.
“When the tanker hit a pole, it didn’t explode immediately. The entire atmosphere changed. As we started running, it felt like the fire was chasing us. It burnt them beyond recognition. There’s usually traffic around this area, but last night, there was none. It could have been much worse.
“I am the security guard here. My colleague is severely injured. Part of the church was burnt; if you check the backyard, you’ll see the damage. The generators were also destroyed. There was supposed to be a programme here today (Wednesday). All my documents and belongings in the building are gone.”
