No fewer than six persons have been confirmed dead, and eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries following a multiple-vehicle crash involving tankers, articulated trucks and cars at the Ibadan toll gate end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
As gathered, after the accident, a massive fire broke out and left hundreds of commuters stranded in prolonged traffic congestion stretching on the road.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Moroof Akinwande, on Saturday, confirmed the incident, revealing that eight other victims were rescued from the wreckage and handed over to officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for medical attention.
Akinwande said that the Fire Service received a distress call at about 9:29 p.m. yesterday from a police officer, Sola Rotimi, and immediately mobilised emergency responders to the scene.
He said firefighters arrived to find six vehicles involved in the crash, including tankers, articulated trucks and two cars, with parts of the accident scene already engulfed in flames.
“The crew quickly swung into action, and the fire was restricted from causing further damage to other vehicles and nearby properties,” Akinwande said.
The fire service boss added that preliminary findings indicated that brake failure may have caused the accident.
The fire service boss urged motorists to exercise caution while driving and ensure their vehicles are equipped with functional fire extinguishers to help contain emergencies before they escalate.
It was learnt that the auto crash triggered a severe traffic gridlock along the busy highway, with videos circulating on social media showing long queues of stranded vehicles as burnt tankers blocked portions of the road.
Debris, including charred vehicle parts and burnt tyres, littered the expressway, forcing many travellers to spend several hours trapped in traffic.
One commuter, who expressed frustration over the situation, said: “We have been on the road since 7a.m. We are still here. We have spent more than necessary. Lagos-Ibadan Expressway needs urgent rescue.”
Popular comedian and cleric, Bayegun Oluwatoyin, widely known as Woli Arole, also lamented the situation in a video posted online.
“If you are planning to come to Ibadan today, just stay home. People have been here for between three to four hours. I learnt there are cars burnt on the way since yesterday. It’s serious,” he said.
Similarly, gospel singer Damilare Ogundoyin, popularly known as Dare Justified, advised travellers to consider alternative routes and plan their journeys carefully.
“If you are travelling from Lagos to Ibadan or from Ibadan to Lagos today, please plan accordingly. There is currently a major traffic gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway following a collision involving four tankers and two vehicles.
“The incident has caused a complete blockage of traffic in both directions. Many commuters have reportedly been stranded in traffic since as early as 7:00 a.m., and movement along the affected stretch remains extremely slow.”