Accident On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (three die in)

A policeman, who witnessed the incident and spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the driver of a commercial bus wanted to negotiate its way through the ensuing gridlock when the bus silencer sparked a fire.

 The fire spread to the spilled fuel, resulting in a conflagration.

He said, “Immediately the tanker fell around 9pm, some residents moved there, opened its cover and started scooping the fuel. They were about 25. I warned them to steer clear, but they refused. At a point, I had to chase some of them with a stick.

 “One of them was on top of the tanker when it exploded around 10pm. The bus that caused the fire, two cars and another tanker with fuel were burnt. Two of those scooping fuel died and many others were injured.”

 Another eyewitness, Ismail Yusuf, said one Andrew, who was travelling in a bus to Delta State, jumped down on sighting the fire.

 “He was seriously injured and some people and I rushed him to a hospital, where he died. A doctor told us his spinal cord had broken and he had abdominal injuries. His corpse is in the mortuary. Seven among those siphoning the fuel were burnt,” Yusuf added.