Two petroleum tankers transporting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) overturned within a 24-hour period in Ibadan, Oyo State, raising fresh concerns over road safety along major expressways in the state.
The separate incidents, which occurred on Wednesday at different locations in the state capital, involved tankers carrying a combined total of 73,000 litres of petrol. No casualties were reported.
The first crash happened Wednesday evening at Methodist area along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. A trailer tanker with registration number A143XA (Osun), conveying 33,000 litres of PMS, reportedly lost control while in motion, veered off the road and plunged into a nearby ditch, spilling its contents.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, said emergency responders swiftly contained the situation, preventing a possible explosion.
“Upon arrival, it was a trailer tanker with registration number A143XA (Osun), of 33,000-litre capacity, that lost control while in motion and fell into a nearby ditch, with its content gushing out,” Akinwande said.
He explained that firefighters immediately applied chemical foam compounds to neutralise the flammable fuel, adding that the operation was carried out in collaboration with officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). Normal traffic flow has since been restored on the route.
A few hours later, a second tanker accident occurred at Ojoo, along the Ibadan–Oyo Expressway. The tanker, bearing registration number KJA67XF (Lagos) and loaded with 40,000 litres of PMS, reportedly swerved off the road.
Again, no injuries were recorded.
Akinwande said fire officers, working alongside personnel from the Federal Fire Service, Ibadan Command, promptly secured the scene.
“Our officers swung into action by applying chemical foam compound to neutralise the flammability of the content and prevent fire outbreak,” he said.
Authorities have renewed calls for caution among tanker drivers, especially along busy expressways, as investigations into the cause of both incidents continue.
