Many motorists were trapped in gridlock on Tuesday when a high-tension cable snapped, starting a fire that burnt two electric poles and torched parts of a bridge in the Maryland area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that there was first a spark from the high-tension cable, as passengers and passersby scampered to safety.
A storm was said to have aggravated the situation, as the cable snapped on the road, effectively preventing vehicular movement on the road.
Fear-stricken motorists were said to have abandoned their vehicles and fled for their lives.
An eyewitness, who gave his name as Sunday, said officials of the state fire service were not on ground to salvage the situation.
He said, “I boarded a tricycle and was coming from Ikeja to Maryland when we suddenly saw people running. I and other passengers, including the rider, abandoned the tricycle and fled.
“It was when we returned to the scene that we discovered why people were running. I saw an electric pole on fire and it burnt for a long time; we waited for officials of the state fire service to visit the area to put out the fire, but no one came.
“The fire caused gridlock from Maryland Bus-Stop down to Ketu, as no vehicle could pass because of the high-tension wire that crossed the road. The high-tension wire damaged the pole, burnt some part of the bridge and caused many people running for safety to fall and sustain injuries.”
A newspaper distributor, Adewale Oloko, said when the cable fell on the road, a commuter used a stick to lift it up for vehicles to pass, adding that the man fled the area when the spark became intense.
“I was surprised to see officials of the state fire service coming to the area this morning (Wednesday). They claimed that information got to them that Maryland was on fire. I was here, as usual, to distribute papers to vendors around Maryland when the fire incident happened yesterday (Tuesday). I ran and left my car at the roundabout. The fire lasted for over an hour before the power distribution officials came to cut the burnt wire from the pole,” he added.
The Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, Margaret Adeseye, said no casualty or injury was recorded.
She said, “The incident happened yesterday, but the video started trending this morning (Wednesday). We don’t have a detailed record of the incident. The Disco disconnected power supply to the power line.”
The spokesperson for Ikeja Electric, Felix Ofulue, said the fire resulted from a snap of the wire on the electric pole.
He said, “The burnt wire and other affected items have been cleared from the road and normalcy has been restored.”
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