Tanker ran into tricycles, motorcycles, cars and bus; went up in flames

—- As villagers lose bags of dried cocoa, cash and other valuables in another Petrol-laden tanker inferno

Petrol tanker ran into four tricycles, two motorcycles, three cars and a bus with no fewer than eight persons confirmed dead in Felele, Lokoja along Lokoja-Abuja Highway on Monday morning.
The driver of the petrol-laden truck lost control of the vehicle.

Eyewitnesses disclosed that all the vehicles and tricycles were knocked down by the tanker and the content of the tanker leaked which led to the fire outbreak.

It was reported that men of the fire service rushed to the scene to put out the fire. Also, most filling stations around the area have been shut down while men of the fire service have remained on the scene to prevent the spread of the fire.

Also, the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps were also on the ground to evacuate casualties and take the injured to the hospital in Lokoja.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Lokoja on Monday stated that the accident “occurred around 0850hrs on November 18, 2019 at Felele along Lokoja-Abuja road as a result of brake failure on the part of a white-coloured petrol-laden tanker.

It was gathered that the tanker ran into four tricycles, two motorcycles, three cars and a bus.

In a related development, Ajebandele villagers in Osun State, lost several bags of dried cocoa, cash and other valuables on Sunday as a tanker laden with petrol exploded there but no life was lost.

Eye witness account reported that the tank compartment suddenly detached from the vehicle and exploded on the Ife/Ondo Road.

The driver of the truck, it was gathered, ran away with the truck’s head to escape being attacked by the villagers.

A villager, Olatunji Adio, explained that the incident happened around 4.30am, adding that the resultant fire raged for about five hours before firefighters extinguished it.

According to him, many travellers plying the road early in the morning were stranded as half of the road was made impassable for hours because of the raging fire.

Osun State Fire Service Administrative Officer, Fatai Aremu, said no life was lost to the incident.

He stated, “The fire started around 4.30am. A truck laden with 33,000 litres of petroleum product lost its compartment.

“The driver of the truck obviously ran away with the vehicle’s head to escape possible attack by the villagers. Immediately we received the distress call, we deployed our men in the Ife unit.

“The fire was eventually extinguished. The villagers lost several bags of dried cocoa. They also lost cash and other valuables, but no life was lost.”