ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- A petrol tanker explosion in Delta State has resulted in the loss of five lives. The Delta State Police Command confirmed this.
DSP Bright Edafe, the command spokesperson, shared this tragic news on Sunday, bringing to light the grim details of the incident.
“In the early hours of Oct. 1, 2023, at about 0200hrs, the Command recorded a tragic incident where a tanker, laden with petroleum product, being driven towards Benin on the Warri-Benin Road fell at Ugbenu Koko Junction.
“Its content spilled into the nearby swamp, and the spillage attracted a couple of youths who took advantage of the incident and started scooping fuel into jerry cans and other containers.
“While they were at it, an explosion erupted and the fire from the explosion engulfed the whole area.
“The fire claimed the lives of five persons among the youths who had come to scoop fuel,” Edafe said.
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The ugly incident occurred in Ugbenu Koko Junction, located in the Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state, where its contents spilled into a nearby swamp.
The ill-fated tanker, loaded with petroleum products, was en route to Benin City during the early hours of Oct. 1 2023, along the Warri-Benin Road.
Tragically, a group of youths took advantage of the spillage, attempting to scoop fuel into jerry cans and containers.
In a horrifying turn of events, an explosion erupted, engulfing the area in flames. This inferno claimed the lives of five individuals among the youths who had gathered to collect fuel.
The devastating blaze also consumed several properties, including eight buses, two tankers, five trailers, two motorcycles, a Sienna space wagon, and a ‘C’ Class Mercedes Benz car.
In response to the incident, the remains of the victims have been placed in the morgue at Oghara General Hospital in Ethiope West.
The Police, working in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) at Ethiope West, swiftly mobilized to the scene to ensure the smooth traffic flow in the area.