Personnel from the Oyo State Fire Service Agency successfully averted a potential petrol explosion after a tanker transporting 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) lost control, toppled beside the road, and began leaking fuel.
According to several eyewitnesses who spoke with The PUNCH on Friday, the incident happened around 12:20 p.m. on Thursday at Onigari village along the Oyo/Ogbomoso expressway.
One of the witnesses, Remi Olasunkanmi, said, “The incident occurred when the driver was trying to manoeuvre the potholes. Immediate intervention and deployment of the fire service men saved the day, the petrol tanker would have gone in flame.”
Confirming the development to our correspondent in Ibadan on Friday, the Chairman of the State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, provided further details.
He said, “The Oyo zonal command saved the falling petrol tanker trailer from explosion at Onigari village, Oyo, on the Oyo/Ogbomoso expressway.
The incident was reported at exactly 12:34hrs, on Thursday July 3, through running caller and Wahab Akeem to a petrol tanker accident at the above address.
Immediately, the firemen led by CFS Tijani promptly deployed to the scene of the incident and on getting there, we met an IVECO trailer tanker with the Registration No: Kaduna: BKA 661 XA of 45,000 litres capacity loaded with PMS lost control whilst in motion and fell by the roadside, cab detached and contents gushing out.
The agency personnel swiftly swung into action by applying necessary chemicals and observing all precautionary measures to avoid imminent fire and likely explosion that might lead to fire disaster.
A team of SAFER highway patrol were also in attendance for security cover,” the chairman explained.
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