A diesel tanker overturned on Monday on Liverpool Bridge in Apapa, a major port district in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest commercial city, prompting residents to scoop fuel from the damaged vehicle and forcing authorities to divert traffic for safety reasons.
The incident occurred on the busy carriageway leading toward Mile 2, a transport corridor that connects Apapa Port to several industrial and residential zones. The fallen tanker caused an obstruction that prevented motorists from accessing the bridge and created a spill that spread rapidly across the structure.
In video footage widely shared on social media platforms, residents from the surrounding Apapa neighbourhood were seen collecting diesel from the tanker with containers and plastic bottles as the liquid continued to leak.
According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), which is the official government agency responsible for traffic control within Lagos State, the spilled diesel resulted from a damaged tank and created hazardous conditions for commuters and pedestrians along the bridge.
In a public advisory released on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, LASTMA stated, “There’s a fallen tanker loaded with diesel on top Liverpool bridge inward Mile2. The diesel is spreading on the bridge as a result of the damaged tank.”
The agency disclosed that officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), which is the country’s national policing institution headquartered in Abuja, intervened promptly through personnel from Area B Command in Apapa, alongside other emergency and safety agencies, to prevent further escalation.
“Men of Nigerian Police Force from Area B and other safety Agencies have been swiftly notified,” the statement added.
For safety purposes, movement on one side of the bridge was suspended as authorities diverted vehicles to an alternate lane to reduce potential ignition risks and reduce crowding around the spilled fuel.
LASTMA further advised commuters to cooperate with officials and comply with instructions aimed at preventing fire accidents and ensuring smoother traffic flow. “Traffic has been diverted to that other side of the bridge for safety measures. Please adhere strictly to all instructions from the traffic managers,” the update read.
Okay News reports that incidents involving fallen petroleum tankers are not unusual in Nigeria due to heavy tanker traffic and infrastructural strain, particularly around Lagos Port corridors where thousands of tankers and articulated vehicles queue daily for access to port terminals and fuel depots.
Meanwhile, public safety experts continue to warn residents against scooping fuel from accident sites, as similar situations in the past have led to explosions and mass casualties in various parts of Nigeria, including Lagos, Oyo, and Anambra States.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the overturned tanker belonged to a private logistics company or a fuel distribution firm, and no injuries or fatalities were recorded as of press time.
