At least, one person has been killed while two others sustained
various degrees of injury when a petrol tanker fell and exploded along
the Eruwon Highway near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State just yesterday.
It was gathered that the tanker which was coming from Eruwon while
trying to navigate through a roundabout fell, trapping the driver and
its two other occupants.
According to an eye witness who described the accident as unfortunate
said, “when the tanker fell, we tried to rescue those trapped inside,
but we were able to rescue two while we could not rescue the third
person who said to be a motor boy before the tanker exploded”.
He added that,”the explosion would have been prevented if a pick up
van which we asked to stop obeyed us. It was the emission from the pick
up that sparked off the explosion.”
Confirming the incident,Mr.Issa Seidu, Ijebu-Ode Unit commander of
FRSC, said the accident was caused by brake failure, adding that the
explosion could have been avoided if not for the smoke emission from
other vehicles plying the other side of the road.
The Ijebu-Ode Zonal Commander of the state Traffic Compliance Enforcement
(TRACE),Hamzat Tommy, gave the tanker’s number plate as XC 577 WWW and confirmed that the body of the only victim had been deposited at the General Hospital mortuary in Ijebu-Ode.
(TRACE),Hamzat Tommy, gave the tanker’s number plate as XC 577 WWW and confirmed that the body of the only victim had been deposited at the General Hospital mortuary in Ijebu-Ode.
The Ogun State Deputy Speaker, Tola Banjo, who visited the scene
said,”It is an unfortunate incident but at the same time would have been
prevented. It would have been averted if not for the careless attitude
of other drivers whose vehicle emissions sparked off the fire.”
