A petroleum tanker carrying 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, exploded on Thursday evening at Celica Junction, along the new Ife Expressway in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred when the tanker suffered a brake failure, lost control, and collided with a Prado jeep and another car before overturning and bursting into flames.
One eyewitness said, “The tanker hit a Prado jeep and another car. In the process, it fell and exploded. Thankfully, no lives were lost, but the fire gutted the vehicles involved.”
The Oyo State Fire Service Chairman, Maroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident in a statement in Ibadan, noting that the fire was reported at exactly 6:27 pm on Thursday.
He explained that the swift intervention of firemen from the Oyo State Fire Service, in collaboration with officers of the Federal Fire Service, prevented the blaze from spreading to the nearby Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) petrol station and other properties.
Akinwande said, “The firemen applied chemical foam compound to contain the flames and restricted the fire from spreading. The fire was jointly extinguished with the support of the Federal Fire Service.”
He further confirmed that no casualties were recorded. “The accident was due to brake failure, which caused the truck to lose control, collide with other vehicles, fall, and catch fire. While no life was lost, the fire completely affected the trailer tanker and a car. The Prado jeep was hit into a nearby gutter but did not catch fire.”
Incidents involving petrol tankers have remained a source of concern across Nigeria due to their devastating impact on lives and property when proper safety measures fail.
This latest explosion underscores the urgent need for improved vehicle maintenance and stricter road safety enforcement to prevent similar tragedies.
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