AWC Oil & Gas Desk
Apapa, Lagos —
Panic and peril unfolded today, Monday, January 19, at the Tincan–Liverpool Bridge axis in Apapa after a fuel tanker overturned beneath the bridge, spilling petroleum products onto the roadway. In a disturbing turn, dozens of people were seen rushing to the scene, scooping fuel directly from the fallen tanker despite the obvious danger.
Eyewitnesses reported that the tanker, believed to be conveying petrol, lost control and overturned, causing traffic disruption and creating a highly combustible environment. Rather than retreating to safety, residents and passersby converged under the bridge with buckets, jerrycans, and plastic containers to collect the leaking fuel.
Safety experts warn that such actions could easily trigger a catastrophic fire or explosion, especially given the enclosed nature of the bridge area, the presence of vehicles, and the volatility of petrol fumes. A single spark—from a running engine, mobile phone, or metal object—could result in mass casualties.
“This is how avoidable tragedies happen,” a safety officer lamented. “People are risking instant death for fuel that could ignite at any moment.”
The incident once again raises urgent questions about public awareness, economic desperation, and emergency response culture. Why do citizens repeatedly put their lives on the line in such situations? Is it lack of safety education, weak enforcement, slow emergency containment, or the harsh economic realities pushing people to gamble with death?
Authorities were later alerted, and efforts were reportedly made to cordon off the area and prevent further access, but not before many had already exposed themselves to grave danger.
Public safety advocates are calling for:
Stronger emergency response protocols
Immediate public sensitisation on tanker accident risks
Strict enforcement against fuel scooping
Improved traffic and hazardous material management
As Lagos continues to battle frequent tanker accidents, this latest episode serves as a sobering reminder: no amount of fuel is worth a human life.
