Residents of Liasu Road, Ikotun, Lagos, were thrown into panic on Monday night as Petroleum Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, spilled from an NNPC station into the road’s drainage, disrupting the flow of traffic.
A resident of the area, Mrs Folasade Adeyemi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the cause of the accident was not immediately known but said residents had abandoned their houses for safety.
Adeyemi said the entire Liasu Road had been cordoned off from Ilewe Bus Stop to prevent vehicles getting close to the scene of the incident.
She said the drainage of the road had fuel flowing in it, adding that a young boy who attempted to scoop petrol from the drainage was stopped by some concerned individuals.
Mr Moses Oluwagbemileke, who lives on Liasu Road, said on his way from work he saw people running from the NNPC petrol station where the spillage occurred.
“Thank God that the situation is under control, petrol was spilling from the NNPC station and I can’t say if it was from the tanker parked beside the station or directly from the station’s underground tanks.
“This would have been a major disaster if it happened at midnight; the fire service responded on time, and I am back home with my family,” he said.
However, the Public Relations Officer of Lagos Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS), Mr Shakiru Amodu, in a telephone interview with NAN, said the spillage occured when the valve of a 45, 000 capacity tanker conveying petrol to service the underground tank of the NNPC filling station got damaged.
He said consequently, petrol started gushing out uncontrollably, but added that the situation had been brought under control.
He said the service salvaged the situation by using chemicals to douse the potency of the fuel to avert danger.
NAN reports that residents of the area stopped some people from scooping the spilled petrol.
Also personnel of the Nigerian Police Force were on ground to maintain law and order. (NA