Tragic2 dead, 5 injured as keg of fuel bursts into flames on motorcycle
There was panic in the Mile 12 area of Lagos on Wednesday after fire
erupted from a passenger’s keg and burnt two motorcyclists to death.
It was gathered that the fire,
which started at about 7.30pm, also razed about eight motorcycles in the
area, Punch reports, Punch reports.
It was
gathered that the victims, identified only as Musa and Sanni, were among
several others affected by the inferno at Agilinti bus stop, Mile 12.
It
was revealed that a woman, who boarded a motorcycle, had a keg of fuel
with her, which was kept inside a nylon, but the keg reportedly leaked.
The motorcycle was said to have arrived at the Agilinti bus stop, where some traders had lit their lamps.
Fire from one of the lamps was said to have leaped unto the fuel-soaked nylon, leading to a fire outbreak.
It
was also gathered that no fewer than eight motorcycles at the bus stop
were consumed. About five motorcyclists were also said to have been
injured, and were taken to hospitals in the area.
Musa and Sanni were said to have died in one of the hospitals.
When
our correspondent visited the area on Thursday, one of the
motorcyclists, identified simply as Kolawole, said some firefighters
later showed up to put out the fire.
He said, “It
was at about 8pm. I was at the bus stop. As soon as the motorcycle
brought the woman, the fire started. The woman had a keg of fuel in a
nylon, which she was taking home. But the keg was leaking, and the nylon
was soaked.
“Some traders at the bus stop had lit
their local lamps; and as the motorcycle wanted to turn round the
junction, the fire started. Two motorcyclists were badly burnt, and they
have died in a hospital.
“About eight other
motorcycles were razed by the fire. Some firefighters later came to put
out the fire. Those injured have also been rushed to some hospitals
where they are being treated.”
A motorist,
identified only as Leke, said there was commotion in the area, as shop
owners and passersby tried in vain to put out the fire.
He
said, “I brought my vehicle to a filling station in the area to buy
fuel. There were lots of motorcycles at the bus stop. Suddenly, there
was an outburst of fire, and the smoke covered everyone.
“I
initially thought it was a tanker fire, as everyone ran helter-skelter.
Traders and passersby tried to put out the fire, but it had destroyed
about eight motorcycles.”
The Director, Lagos
State Fire Service, Dr. Rasak Fadipe, confirmed the incident, adding
that men of the Ilupeju Fire Station attended to it.
He said, “The fire servicemen from Ilupeju were there. But we do not have a record of any death.
“Seven motorcycles were burnt, and one person was also injured.”
Efforts by our correspondent to see the injured persons were unsuccessful as no one knew the hospitals they were taken to.
Our correspondent gathered that the corpses of the deceased had been deposited in a morgue in the area.
The
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Patricia Amadin, had
yet to reply to a text message sent to her phone as of press time.
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