Several communities in Lagos have been thrown into darkness following a gas tanker explosion along the Lekki-Epe Expressway on Saturday.
The blackout affected multiple locations, including Medallion Company, Sangotedo, Majek, Awoyaya, Eputu, Lakowe, Lasoro, Fidiso, Kolajo, and the Elemoro Police Station axis.
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) confirmed the development, attributing the outage to damage caused by the fire incident that followed the explosion.
According to the company, the blaze severely impacted the Ibeju and Medallion 33kV feeders, destroying critical conductors and overhead line equipment, which disrupted electricity supply across the affected areas.
In a statement, EKEDC said its technical teams have been deployed to replace the damaged infrastructure and restore power as quickly as possible, while apologising to residents for the inconvenience caused.
The explosion stemmed from a tragic road accident involving a gas tanker and a tipper truck on the busy expressway.
Emergency responders from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service reported that the incident occurred at about 2:36 a.m.
Preliminary findings indicated that a speeding 20-tonne tipper truck travelling from the Epe axis rammed into a stationary 30-tonne gas tanker that had failed to move off the highway, triggering a massive explosion.
The resulting inferno spread rapidly, engulfing nearby structures including three warehouses and at least 10 roadside shops.
Among the affected properties were a gym facility and a generator house.
Firefighters were eventually able to contain the blaze, but not before significant damage had been recorded.
Several vehicles, including three Sienna buses, a Toyota Corolla, and a forklift, were recovered from the scene.
Tragically, the driver of the tipper truck and his assistant were burnt beyond recognition, while the driver of the gas tanker reportedly escaped unharmed.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing as efforts continue to restore electricity and assess the full extent of the damage caused by the incident.
