Motorists experienced heavy traffic in the early hours of Thursday after a trailer carrying cargo caught fire at the Berger New Garage area along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, heading toward Lagos.
The incident occurred around 5:50 a.m. when the container on the trailer suddenly went up in flames.
At the time of this report, First Daily correspondent could not ascertain the exact contents of the container, which had not been identified.
Officials from the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service quickly arrived at the scene to manage the situation and put out the fire.
In a statement, LASTMA confirmed that the blaze caused a major traffic backlog that extended beyond the OPIC junction.
“A loaded containerised trailer caught fire at Berger New Garage inward Secretariat,” the agency said. “Our officers are on the ground directing traffic while the Lagos State Fire and Rescue team works to extinguish the fire.
“The congestion currently stretches past the OPIC turning.”
READ ALSO: Truck Accident Triggers Gridlock on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
The incident comes amid other recent fire outbreaks in Lagos. On Wednesday, a vessel under repair at the Kirikiri Canal in Apapa also caught fire, causing panic among workers and nearby residents.
One person was reported to have been seriously injured.
Eyewitnesses said sparks from welding work reportedly ignited flammable materials on the vessel, sending thick smoke billowing into the air.
In another incident on Tuesday, passengers narrowly escaped harm when a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle caught fire while moving across the Mile 12 Bridge on Ikorodu Road.
The occupants managed to evacuate safely before the flames spread.