A petrol tanker laden with 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) on Saturday crashed at the Guru Maharaji area of the Toll Gate along the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Oyo State Fire Services Agency said two male occupants of the tanker were trapped following the accident but were rescued by firefighters.
In a statement, the agency said it received a distress call about the incident at exactly 8:38 a.m. and immediately mobilised its officers to the scene.
Upon arrival, firefighters found a MAC trailer tanker with registration number BDJ 27IXG (OYO) in a nearby ditch after it had reportedly swerved off the road.
The tanker was carrying 45,000 litres of PMS, prompting the fire crew to immediately apply foam chemical compound to the spilled petroleum product to prevent a possible fire outbreak.
The two occupants were rescued and subsequently handed over to officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for further necessary action.
Preliminary findings indicated that brake failure caused the accident.
The fire appliance returned safely to the station at 11:48 a.m. and was placed on standby.
The Special Adviser on Fire Services Reform and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Moroof Akinwande, urged motorists to exercise extreme caution, particularly when driving on highways, to prevent avoidable accidents.
Akinwande also stressed the importance of keeping functional fire extinguishers in vehicles to enable motorists to tackle fire outbreaks at their early stages.
He urged members of the public to report fire emergencies promptly and provide accurate locations to facilitate swift emergency response.
