Fire Guts CNG Bus At Berger Lagos

They only wanted to get to Lagos early, to work, to the market. Instead, they ran for their lives as smoke and flames took over the road at Berger Bus Stop.

That is the new fear facing thousands of Lagos workers who have abandoned petrol buses for CNG buses because the fare is cheaper. Cheap has turned to danger this morning.

The bus, a Toyota Hiace with registration number EKY 798 YK, was conveying 18 occupants, including the driver, from the Mowe-Ibafo axis towards Lagos when it reportedly caught fire following a gas explosion.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, on the Lagos-bound section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, at Berger Bus Stop.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident in a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq.

According to LASTMA, 17 occupants, including the driver, were rescued unhurt.

One male passenger, who was seated at the rear section of the vehicle, sustained severe burn injuries. He was rushed to the Lagos State Trauma and Emergency Centre at Toll Gate for urgent medical attention.

LASTMA personnel mobilised to the scene to evacuate the occupants, while officers of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service extinguished the blaze to prevent it from spreading to other vehicles.

Berger is not an ordinary bus stop. It is where Lagos meets Ogun. Every morning, thousands of people from Mowe, Ibafo, Ofada and Magboro rush into Berger to change buses to Ikeja, Oshodi, CMS and Lekki.

During rush hour, a bus on fire can easily cause a stampede. Drivers park indiscriminately, conductors shout for passengers, and commuters struggle for seats. If the fire had spread to the next bus, the story today would have been different.

That is why the quick response of LASTMA and the Fire Service today matters. They did not only put out the fire, they prevented a second disaster at one of the busiest bus stops in Lagos.

P.M. EXPRESS checks show that the move to CNG is not because people love CNG. It is because petrol fares have become unbearable.

A trip from Mowe to Berger that previously cost N1,500 in a petrol bus is now cheaper in a CNG bus. For a worker who travels five days a week, that difference is food money for the family.

It is that saving that makes many commuters ignore the warning signs. Many do not ask if the tank is old, if the conversion is original, or if the driver has done an inspection.

Today’s fire has forced that question back. Is cheap fare worth the risk?

Before you board a CNG bus tomorrow, check these five things. First, smell for gas. If you perceive gas as you board, alight immediately. Second, check the tank. If the tank at the back looks rusty, dented, or poorly tied, do not board. Third, listen for hissing. A hissing sound from the tank area means leakage. Fourth, look for an inspection sticker. Genuine CNG-converted buses should have an inspection sticker. Fifth, avoid overloading. An overloaded bus plus a gas tank is a higher risk in case of an accident.

LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, through his spokesman, urged motorists to be cautious and report any vehicle emitting gas or smoke.

As at the time of filing this report, the cause of the gas explosion is still being investigated.

Traffic has been restored on the Berger axis after the burnt bus was cleared.

But for the 17 who escaped, and the one man still in hospital, Wednesday morning will not be forgotten quickly. And for the thousands who will board a CNG bus tomorrow morning at Mowe, the fear will travel with them.