SEVENTEEN tricycles and two petrol tankers were destroyed after two separate fire incidents broke out at filling stations in Kano State on Tuesday.
News Point Nigeria reports that the Kano State Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Saminu Abdullahi, said the first fire occurred at AA Ayagi Filling Station in Kanye village along Gwarzo Road, Kabo Local Government Area, at about 8:45pm.
“Our control room received an emergency alert at about 20:45 hours from one of our personnel, Muhammad Wada Abdulsalam, about a fire outbreak at AA Ayagi Filling Station on Gwarzo Road,” Abdullahi said in a statement on Wednesday.
He explained that firefighters from the Rijiyar Zaki division were immediately deployed to the location.
“On arrival, our officers discovered a PMS tanker with registration number XPB 999 FA, owned by AA Ayagi Company, burning while offloading petrol,” Abdullahi stated.
According to him, two compartments of the tanker had been emptied into the underground storage facility, while three remaining compartments containing about 5,000 litres of fuel were still being discharged when the fire started, resulting in the complete destruction of the tanker.
The fire service spokesperson said the second incident took place at Al-Wahida Nigeria Limited filling station at Rimin Kebe Karshen Kwalta in Nassarawa Local Government Area.
“The fire broke out during the offloading of petroleum products from a tanker belonging to BA Bello Company with registration number KHX 29 XA, which was conveying about 45,000 litres of fuel,” he said.
He added that the blaze damaged the tanker head and part of its body and completely burnt 17 tricycles, popularly known as Adaidaita sahu.
“By the grace of God, the fire was brought under control before it could spread further. Some of the petroleum products and parts of the tanker were salvaged,” Abdullahi noted.
In a related development, another fire outbreak occurred at Kundila Quarters near SALSA College, where a residential building was affected.
“The incident resulted in the destruction of one room, a toilet, and a corridor,” he said.
Commenting on the incidents, the Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Sani Anas, appealed to the public, particularly filling station operators and tanker drivers, to observe safety precautions.
“Strict compliance with safety measures during fuel handling and offloading is crucial to preventing avoidable fire disasters,” Anas cautioned.