One person was confirmed dead, while four vehicles were completely burnt when a truck carrying Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exploded in Abeokuta, Ogun State, late Saturday afternoon.
The explosion, which occurred around 4: 15p.m. at the Ita-Oshin axis of Abeokuta metropolis, also shook the foundations of several residential buildings, living many of them with shattered louvres and glass doors with roofings becoming debris.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the driver of the truck who was coming from the depot in the Obada – Oko axis of Abeokuta metropolis, was embroiled in a hot argument with the driver of another truck over the right of way in the axis which resulted in his loss of control and consequently crashed on the road divider at Ita- Oshin.
Eyewitness told LEADERSHIP that vehicular queues for petroleum purchase in the axis had taken half of the road that extended to the Lagos -Sango Ota – Abeokuta expressway, thereby forcing motorists to beg for passage.
But the refusal of the gas-laden truck to politely negotiate his right of way allegedly infuriated driver of the other truck, thereby forcing him to crash on the road median which ignited fire from the engine that eventually caused the explosion.
Head of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) team, Deputy Superintendent of Fire Service (DSF), Adeoye Adegoke, who spoke with LEADERSHIP confirmed that the only victim of the explosion was the motor boy of the gas-laden truck, whose body was shattered on the road and was packed by the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) into one of their body bags.
Meanwhile, the incident resulted in a total halt of vehicular movements on the Abeokuta – Sango Ota Expressway, as the road was completely cordoned off by the combine security operatives.
The agencies include the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, the Police, state-owned Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) as well as those of the state owned Community Security outfit – the So-SAFE Corp.
They were swiftly drafted to the scene as part of the measures to prevent further explosion since the gas in the truck was still intact.
