The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, has clarified that contrary to the viral video of snow in Lagos, it was actually a chemical used by firefighters to avert possible fire outbreak after a petroleum tanker spilled heavy petroleum product on the road.
Recall that a video clip was shared on July 8 by Sahara Reporters with a headline: “Video: Snow-like Chemical Surge Causes Panic in Lagos” shows snow-like foams that purportedly prevented Lagosians from accessing their homes.
Arising from the footage, many have claimed that it is snowing in Lagos.
According to Omotoso, a truck approaching from the Lagos Sea Port fell due to an accident along Anthony axis. The truck, he noted was conveying an inflammable material, so the Lagos State Fire Service was deployed to intervene. The firefighters reportedly sprayed the Aqueous Film Forming Foam, AFFF, on the spilled content to avoid fire incident.
“There was an accident involving Petroleum Tanker with heavy Petroleum spillage and in order to prevent further hazard, the State Fire Services quickly coated the road and area with foam-like material which is not poisonous or injurious to the environment and human health,” Omotoso explained.
“The thing is that our colleagues are very quick to publish whatever they see. You see a video somewhere; you did not bother to find out what was the matter. But when you explain, they don’t want to care anymore.
“This is something the government should be earning praises for. You can imagine such a fire on Ikorodu road.”
As a proof, Omotoso shared another video showing activities of firefighters while spraying the chemical to avoid an inferno.
Nosa Okundor, Public Affairs Officer, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) was contacted to further verify the claim. He said the decision to deploy the foamy blanket was to prevent fire accident.
“In extreme cases, it can get volatile but it may not be as extreme as other petroleum materials.”
AFFF is a solution which could also cause health hazards if wrongly managed. The blanket blocks oxygen supply to inflammable petroleum materials. It suppresses fuel vapour through aqueous film and produces a cooling effect as part of the fire suppressing measures.
The United States Fire Administration, an institution of government that works to prevent fire outbreaks says AFFF could be a combination of Per and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) – the Perfluorooctane Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS) but warned against long term exposure to the chemicals.
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