MANY people are feared to have been killed, while 10 others sustained varying degrees of injuries, after a fuel tanker fell and exploded along the Oluku axis of the Benin-Lagos Road in Edo State on Thursday.
News Point Nigeria reports that the incident occurred at about 4 a.m. when the ill-fated petrol tanker, which was attempting to make a U-turn near Oluku Market, fell and spilled its contents onto the road.
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Witnesses said that shortly after the tanker fell, residents and other passers-by rushed to the scene and began scooping fuel from the road and nearby drainage channels.
One of the witnesses said people who arrived early at the scene joined others in scooping the fuel before security operatives arrived and cordoned off the area.
He said the truck’s owner later brought another tanker to evacuate the remaining contents from the fallen vehicle, but the tanker exploded, leaving several victims burnt beyond recognition.
According to the witness, 10 injured victims were rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for medical attention, while the corpses of those who died were deposited at the hospital’s mortuary.
Recounting his narrow escape, the witness said he was among those scooping fuel when a soldier drew his attention to the danger posed by the activity.
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He said, “I was also among those who were scooping the fuel. I escaped by whiskers. It was a soldier who called me and drew my attention to the fact that it was sunny and the way the people rushed to scoop the fuel might ignite fire.
“As I looked back after he spoke to me, the tanker burst into flames as people around the area scampered for safety. I thank the soldier, if not I would have been burnt by now.
“Two men who were directly under the tanker were burnt, while stores that were built on the drainage were burnt; we are yet to know the number of people that died.”
Meanwhile, a News Point Nigeria reporter who visited UBTH witnessed the hospital management swiftly mobilising emergency services to attend to those brought in from the scene.
The Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu, was seen leading the emergency response team across the accident, emergency and burns units as medical personnel attended to the victims.
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The Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Preye Ezekiel Bedford, said FRSC officials, the Police, Fire Service and the Edo State Traffic Management Agency were at the scene to control traffic.
On the casualty figures, Bedford said he was still at the scene and would provide further details later.
