Not less than 3 persons have been confirmed dead, 13 others injured and at least 25 vehicles including the tanker were burnt when a diesel tanker exploded near Sheraton Hotels and Towers.
Reports say that the diesel tanker suddenly exploded along the Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way forcing residents and many motorists to abandon their properties for safety.
The fast spreading fire touched and burnt nearby buildings in quick succession.
The 3 deceased persons are said to be staff of a Chinese restaurant no far from Sheraton Hotel and Towers.
Video: (Viewer discretion advised)
A joint team of emergency officials including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State fire services among other emergency responders were on hand to assist victims.
One of the bodies recovered was identified as Mr Balogun, the manger of the Chinese restaurant while 4 women and 9 men were rescued from the inferno with various degrees of burns.
The Public Relations officer of NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye told newsmen on Friday that the deceased were recovered within the scene by emergency officials during a search and rescue operation.
Farinloye added that the teams were yet to confirm claims by residents and staff of firms in Ogun State Property Investment Corporation (OPIC), one of the buildings seriously affected by the fire that a boy believed to be within the axis before the explosion occurred was still trapped in the building.
He said that the claim was made during a headcount carried out by representatives of the offices and supervised by emergency officials to ascertain the number of casualties that could have been trapped in the buildings.
According to him, “during a headcount, all we got from the restaurant and representatives of other offices were that a boy is missing. But we were surprised when we intensified search and rescue operations and discovered three bodies. One of the bodies was identified as Mr Balogun, who was the manager of the restaurant.
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