A massive fire broke out at the Mobil Filling Station near Allen Junction, opposite Airport Hotel in Lagos, following an explosion involving a gas truck on [insert date]. The incident, which occurred around 11 a.m., left two individuals with burn injuries and caused extensive damage to property worth millions of naira.
Eyewitnesses reported that the explosion destroyed at least seven vehicles, including both commercial and private cars. Although no fatalities were reported, the blast impacted a 12-ton gas truck, whose registration number remains unknown, as well as part of a nearby building. The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation.
The explosion also damaged the second floor of a nearby two-story building. Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), confirmed that two men sustained burns, while several others suffered minor injuries. The injured were treated on-site by LASEMA’s Pre-Hospital Care Team and LASAMBUS before being transferred to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
By 2 p.m., the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service had successfully contained the fire, preventing further damage to nearby structures. However, rescue and recovery operations were still underway.
The explosion caused significant traffic disruption in the area, with emergency teams cordoning off the vicinity, including the busy Obafemi Awolowo Road. Motorists were redirected to alternative routes to ease congestion and avoid a total traffic standstill.
According to Margaret Adeseye, Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the explosion occurred while the gas truck was discharging its contents into a surface storage tank, which then ignited. The fire quickly spread, engulfing eight vehicles, including the tanker, and damaging parts of the top floor of the nearby building.
Several agencies responded to the emergency, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Mobil Fire Unit from Apapa, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABCA), and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Fire service teams from Alausa and Ikeja Fire Stations were praised for their swift action in bringing the blaze under control. As of the latest update, efforts to dampen the affected area were still ongoing, and the exact number of injured persons was being confirmed.
