UPDATED: 17 dead as petrol tanker explodes in Ogun

A tanker belonging to Olam and carrying petrol exploded on Friday killing at least 17 people, the FRSC has said.

The tanker caught fire along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ogun State at about 5 a.m.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the tanker, which has Dangote Flour inscribed on it, belonged to the Dangote Group.

However, a spokesperson for the Dangote Group said although Olam acquired the Group’s flour arm two years ago, they did not wipe off the name from their trucks.

Olam is the parent company of Crown Flour Milk.

Florence Okpe, the FRSC spokesperson in the state, said the accident happened before Isara bridge in Ogun east senatorial district.

Ms Okpe said 14 of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition, adding that the FRSC was able to identify one man, one woman, and a girl.

She added that the tanker had a head-on collision with a Mazda bus marked, ZT728 KLD.

“The total number of people involved is not ascertained, but a total of 17 bodies have been identified.

“One male, one female, and one female child only have been identified, while others were burnt beyond recognition and no injury sustained,” Ms Okpe said.

“The suspected causes of the fatal crash were route violation and dangerous driving, which resulted in a head-on collision and fire outbreak.

The Ogun FRSC Sector Commander, Ahmed Umar, described the crash as an avoidable one if one of the drivers had obeyed traffic rules and regulations.

The FRSC boss also commiserated with the families of the victims, enjoining them to contact the FRSC office in Ogere for more information about the crash.