One person was feared dead on Wednesday
after a fuel-laden tanker exploded at the Upper Mission Junction on the
Benin-Auchi Expressway, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
The explosion, which occurred around
7am, left no fewer than four persons injured while electric poles and
other property worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene
saw some personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps trying to ease the
gridlock caused by the fallen tanker.
No fewer than seven shops were razed.
Eyewitnesses said the tanker driver had
attempted to make a U-turn due to a diversion on the expressway, when
the tanker fell and spilled its content.
The driver was said to have fled the scene immediately.
It was gathered that the spillage attracted some residents who rushed to the scene to scoop fuel into jerrycans.
Our correspondent gathered that the
tanker exploded after the exhaust pipe of an oncoming Audi car sparked
off fire which spread to where the tanker was.
Many of those scooping the fuel, as well
as the occupants of the car, reportedly escaped with injuries, while a
middle-aged man suffered severe burns and was rushed to a hospital.
The fire was also said to have spread to a section of the expressway where it destroyed six other vehicles.
An eyewitness, Mrs. Deborah Afudeli, who
lost goods to the incident, explained that the fire spread rapidly
before it was extinguished.
She said, “My daughter called me in the
morning that a tanker fell in front of my shop and its content spilled
on the expressway. Immediately I ended the call, I heard a loud
explosion.
“Before I got to my store, I realised that the fire had already razed the store.”
A shop owner, Kate Amos, said she lost goods estimated at N400,000.
The Edo State Fire Service Director, Mr. Franklin Agbonlahor, said the fire was put out at about 8.30am.
Agbonlahor attributed the fire to the
refusal of the driver of the Audi car to heed the warning of some
persons who flagged him down.
“I know a lot of people sustained
injuries. For now, I cannot tell you (that) anybody died until I get
concrete evidence,” he added.
The state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said the police would investigate the circumstances surrounding the explosion.
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