Residents flee as another petrol tanker falls in Onitsha

Fallen tanker in Onitsha



It was pandemonium yesterday in the bursting commercial centre of Onitsha, Anambra State when residents took to their heels to escape a possible explosion immediately a tanker laden with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) fell into a ditch along Enugu-Onitsha Expressway by Chipex Filling Station, spilling its content.

Thankfully, there was no explosion in yesterday’s incident. This is coming about three weeks after many lives were lost and buildings destroyed due to a fuel tanker fire at Upper Iweka Road in Onitsha, followed some days later by another fire disaster at Omagba, also in Onitsha.

Yesterday’s tanker fell into a ditch by Chipex Petroleum Station around Upper Iweka axis within Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra. As at the time of filing this report, the police have cordoned off the area while fire fighters were on stand-by in case of fire outbreak.

Mr. Emeka Obinwa, Executive Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed the incident to newsmen in Awka. Obinwa said PMS was spilling out from the tanker at the time of filing this report, but added that the highly inflammable substance had yet to catch fire.

“As we speak, there is no fire at the scene. Fire fighters are seriously working at the scene, pouring water to the tanker to prevent outbreak of fire,” he said.

Also, the police in Anambra yesterday issued a statement advising residents to stay clear of the area in order to prevent any disaster. SP Haruna Mohammed, the command’s Public Relations Officer, who signed the statement, said police patrol teams have cordoned off the area.

He added that the Commissioner of Police, Anambra, John Abang, had visited the scene where the tanker crashed into a gutter due to brake failure for on-the-spot assessment and to prevent a repeat of recent explosion.

Mohammed said the tanker, which was coming from Benin was heading to Enugu with the product before the accident on Thursday afternoon.