Disaster was averted on Monday after a tanker swerved off the road and headed towards a branch of the United Bank for Africa at Fadeyi Bus Stop on the ever-busy Ikorodu Road in Lagos State.
The incident, which occurred about 8.05am, caused heavy traffic on Ikorodu Road.
The tanker was said to have fallen at Fadeyi Bus Stop as a result of a burst tyre.
The vehicle number of the tanker could not be ascertained at press time but residents said the fallen tanker would have caused severe damage to both persons and property in the area save for a pavement that stopped it from hitting the UBA building.
A police officer who requested anonymity said the tanker caused panic in the area due to the loud noise as it tumbled.
The police officer said: “I was nearby when I heard the sound and I rushed to the scene.
“The tanker was having problem holding its brake because the tyre had burst and the driver was struggling to hold it in control.
“Fortunately, the tanker was empty as it was meant to be a petroleum tanker for one of these bunkering people.
“As we were standing thinking of how the driver was struggling with the vehicle, luckily, the tanker hit a pavement in front of UBA and that was what saved it from heading straight into the building of the UBA.”
The fallen tanker however caused gridlock on the road as people who were going to work on the Island were stranded for more than one hour.
Respite however came the way of motorists following a phone call by the Divisional Police Officer of the Onipanu Police Station, Superintendent of Police Nwakama, to the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency to clear the road.
A source, who simply identified himself as Moji, said: “LASTMA officers came with their crane and they succeeded in lifting and pulling the tanker from the road. This lasted for more than one to hour. People going to work during that rush hour were held up in the traffic and it was not a pleasant experience.
It was also gathered that despite police presence on the road and at the scene of the incident, thugs, popularly known as area boys, took advantage of the hold up to extort money from motorists and the driver of the fallen tanker.