Two workers got stuck while cleaning an underground fuel tank at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency end of the Lagos Badagry Expressway.
The victims, Kazeem Rufai and a yet-to-be identified man, were rushed to the Badagry General Hospital.
While Rufai survived and is receiving treatment at the hospital, the other victim reportedly died while his remains had been deposited in the hospital’s morgue.
PUNCH reports that the incident happened on Friday.
An official of the Lagos State Fire Service, who said the agency was called to the scene, said the two men were among several workers called to clear the underground tank.
He said, “The filling station does not have a name. It had been abandoned and those men were called to clear the sludge in the underground tank. I guess somebody else wanted to take over ownership of the filling station.
“The first man that went in inhaled toxic fumes and got suffocated. When the other workers stopped hearing his voice, another person volunteered to go in to rescue him. That was how he also became unconscious.
“At that point, they alerted us and we were able to bring them out. As of the time they were rescued, they were still breathing. We handed them over to LASAMBUS, which conveyed them to the Badagry General Hospital.”
The Director of the state Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, confirmed the incident, adding that the Badagry Fire Station responded to the incident.
Fadipe, who also confirmed the death of one of the victims, called for caution during underground evacuations.
He said, “Anybody that wants to do such a thing ought to have protective equipment for his nostrils and body. We have all this equipment and we could have supported them. The incident was avoidable and we hope other residents will learn.”
An official of the Badagry General Hospital said the victims were rushed to the casualty ward of the hospital.
He said, “One of them died. The second victim is receiving treatment.”