A petroleum tanker transporting 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, exploded on Thursday at Celica junction along the new Ife Expressway in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The incident, which occurred around 6:27 p.m., was reportedly triggered by brake failure, causing the tanker to lose control and crash.
Eyewitnesses at the scene explained that the tanker hit a Prado jeep and another vehicle before toppling and bursting into flames.
One witness said, “The tanker hit a Prado jeep and another car. And in the process, the tanker fell and exploded.
“Although no casualty was recorded, the fire affected the car and the Prado jeep.”
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, said in a statement that firefighters swiftly responded to the emergency to contain the blaze.
He stated, “The incident was reported at exactly 18.27hrs on Thursday.
“The firemen swiftly swung into action by applying chemical foam compound and restricted the fire from spreading to the nearby Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation petrol station and surrounding properties. The fire was jointly extinguished with officers from the Federal Fire Service.
“The fire incident was as a result of failure of breaking in system of the truck whist on motion which made the vehicle lose control, hit a Prado jeep and a car, then fell and caught fire.
“No casualty was recorded but the fire affected the trailer tanker and a car, while a Jeep was hit by the trailer into the nearby gutter,” he explained.
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