Several people were feared dead and others severely burnt on Thursday after a petrol tanker exploded at Oluku along the Benin-Lagos Expressway in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, destroying buildings, shops, vehicles and other property.
The tanker, which was loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), reportedly fell earlier in the day and spilt its contents around the busy Oluku market area.
People who gathered around the fallen tanker were said to have started scooping the spilt petrol before the tanker suddenly burst into flames at about 1 pm, triggering a massive inferno.
The fire rapidly spread through the surrounding area, consuming shops and buildings erected around the drainage channels and affecting vehicles in the vicinity.
Several people caught in the inferno reportedly sustained serious burns, with eyewitnesses saying some victims were burnt beyond recognition.
The exact number of fatalities was yet to be officially confirmed as of press time.
However, 11 victims who sustained severe burns were rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for emergency medical treatment.
An eyewitness who was among those scooping the spilt petrol said he escaped death by a whisker after a soldier at the scene warned him about the danger of gathering around the leaking tanker.
According to the eyewitness, the soldier drew his attention to the intense sunlight and the large number of people scooping fuel around the tanker.
He said shortly after he moved away, the tanker suddenly burst into flames, sending people around the area running for their lives.
“I was also among those who were scooping the fuel. I escaped by a whisker. It was a soldier who called me and drew my attention to the fact that it was sunny and that the way the people rushed to scoop the fuel might ignite a fire. As I looked back after he spoke to me, the tanker burst into flames as people around the area ran for dear life. I thank the soldier; if not, I would have been burnt by now”, the eyewitness said.
He added that two men who were directly under the tanker were burnt, while several shops built around the drainage were also consumed by the fire.
The source said the inferno also affected vehicles that were caught in the area, adding that the number of people who may have died remained unknown.
UBTH Mobilises Emergency Response
At the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, emergency personnel were immediately mobilised to receive and treat the victims brought from the scene.
The Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Professor Idia Ize-Iyamu, personally took charge of the emergency response, coordinating medical teams across the accident, emergency and burns units as they battled to stabilise the severely injured victims.
Medical personnel worked to prevent further fatalities and provide urgent treatment to those who suffered serious burns.
The Edo State Fire Service also deployed personnel to the scene to battle the inferno and prevent it from spreading further, while security personnel and other emergency responders participated in rescue and evacuation efforts.
