Attempts to respond quickly to the petrol tanker fire on Kara Bridge, outward Berger in Lagos State by emergency responders was stalled early Saturday as they were confronted by a group of boys brandishing dangerous weapons.
Director-General of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Olufemi Oke Osanyitolu, who confirmed the incident, said the joint team of Lagos Fire service and LASEMA was waylaid on arrival forcing the team to seek extra police cover from the Isheri Police Station.
The operation commenced with the police protection until the group of assailants grew larger and caused significant damage to vehicles and threats to the lives of emergency responders.
The team has been forced to suspend the recovery operation for safety reasons.
Osanyitolu noted that this attack is part of a very worrisome trend experienced by first responders in the course of their duties.
He urged Lagosians to refrain from endangering the lives of emergency responders and allow them to carry out their lifesaving duties.
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Boboye Oyeyemi, had earlier confirmed that two male adults were killed and burnt beyond recognition with 29 vehicles razed by the roadside when the driver of the petrol tanker lost control of the wheels as a result of mechanical deficiency due to tyre blow out making the tanker to fall on the Expressway amidst a wild inferno.