By Patrick Idowu
A mechanic tragically lost his life while attempting to save customers’ vehicles from a raging fire that erupted under Otedola Bridge in Lagos.
The inferno began on Tuesday when a gas-laden tanker keeled over, igniting an explosion that destroyed structures, including a church, a residential house, and a mechanic workshop.
Two people died, while six others sustained injuries.
One of the victims was Rotimi Olaleye, a dedicated automobile mechanic who worked at a repair shop beneath the bridge.
Olaleye, a trusted technician of Eagle Online publisher Doyin Oladipo, had been expecting his client’s visit when disaster struck.
Oladipo, his wife, and daughter narrowly escaped the tragedy. They had planned to pick up his wife’s car from Olaleye’s workshop but made a brief stop at a supermarket.
That delay, Oladipo later realized, saved their lives.
“As we approached the mechanic village, we saw a trailer lose control. I immediately turned away,” he recounted.
Meanwhile, Olaleye, determined to protect his customers’ cars, refused to flee despite warnings from his apprentices.
“I kept calling to tell him to abandon the cars and run, but he never picked up. Then, we heard the explosion. His phone never rang again,” Oladipo recalled.
Otedola Bridge has witnessed multiple deadly accidents over the years, cementing its reputation as one of Lagos’ most hazardous routes.
