A diesel-laden tanker exploded in the early hours of Thursday on the Badagry expressway, killing two persons and disrupting traffic at the Oto-Ijanikin axis of Lagos.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the incident occurred near the Lagos State University of Education, inward Agbara.
The agency said the accident involved a Mack truck conveying diesel, adding that preliminary security investigations showed that excessive speeding caused the crash.
The agency said the driver lost control while attempting to overtake another road user, noting that the crash triggered a fire outbreak that killed the driver and an adult female occupant.
LASTMA officials on routine traffic monitoring duties responded promptly to the incident, while the affected section of the expressway was cordoned off to prevent secondary accidents.
LASTMA alerted emergency responders, including the Lagos state fire and rescue service, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Ijanikin police division.
The agency said its operatives prevented members of the public from scooping spilled diesel from the scene.
Emergency agencies were said to have later contained the fire and the burnt tanker was evacuated to restore traffic flow.
The remains of the victims were removed by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps afterwards according to the agency.
Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager of LASTMA, expressed sadness over the loss of lives, while extending condolences to the families of the victims, describing the incident as painful during the festive season.
He urged tanker and articulated vehicle drivers to adhere strictly to speed limits and traffic regulations, even as he also warned the public against scooping petroleum products from accident scenes, citing serious safety risks.