Petrol tanker burns in Onitsha

A tanker loaded with 33,000 litres of petrol with no registration number, caught fire about 2:30. a.m. on Friday at Upper Iweka in Onitsha.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra Command, on Friday said no casualty was recorded in the incident.

The state Sector Commander, Mr Andrew Kumapayi, said the fire was caused by electrical fault in the engine of the truck, “The tanker caught fire due to electrical fault in the engine of the vehicle. The driver started shouting fire! fire!!, the neighbouring houses tried their best to put out the fire.

“But Fire service men, FRSC officials and the Policemen responded promptly and the fire has been extinguished. No casualty or injury was recorded.

“Officers of FRSC are diverting traffic and cordoning the scene to avoid running into the carcass and the fire service vehicles,” he said.

Recall that a similar incident happened on Thursday when a truck loaded with goods going to Enugu went into flames along UNIZIK main gate, Awka-Enugu expressway about 2:30 p.m.

Kumapayi said the FRSC patrol team alerted the state fire service which responded and was able to put the fire under control.

“The vehicle which loaded from Onitsha Main Market, was heading to Cameroun. The Driver, Mr Chimezie Aneke said they were traveling with the manager of the company and two others.

“Some of the goods in the vehicle included: AC gas cylinders, perfumes, cosmetics, grinding machines, soaps among others and there was no injury sustained,” Kumapayi said.