In a dangerous scene captured on video, Nigerians were seen risking their lives to scoop fuel from an overturned tanker at Tincan Liverpool Bridge in Apapa, Lagos on Monday morning.
The tanker, loaded with petroleum motor spirit (PMS), overturned and began leaking fuel, prompting residents to rush toward the spill to collect the petrol despite the obvious risk of fire or explosion.
The video circulating online shows people gathering fuel from under the bridge, a risky act that could easily trigger a catastrophic blast.
Social media users reacted strongly to the incident, with many condemning the action while others blamed poverty for driving people to take such risks.
ALSO READ: VIDEO: VDM apologizes to Blord over RATEL trademark, denies fighting Igbos
One user, @OloriOfOloris, wrote:
“One spark and everyone here is gone. They know this but still greed will never let them care about their lives.”
Another user, @Nigerianmouthpiece, argued that poverty forces people into dangerous situations, saying:
“It’s easy to call it recklessness, but when people are pushed to the edge by poverty and daily survival, risk starts to feel normal.”
A third user, @qoseem_kayode, urged caution, adding:
“We know things are hard but it shouldn’t be at the expense of something like this, a little ignition and they are all gone.”
Tanker explosions remain a recurring tragedy in Nigeria, and authorities are expected to respond quickly to prevent a potential disaster. Despite repeated warnings about the dangers of collecting fuel from accident sites, many still risk their lives to scoop fuel from overturned tankers.