Follow Us on Google
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Seven persons were burnt beyond recognition yesterday when a 33 liter capacity fuel tanker lost control in a sharp bend in AYA, Asokoro, Abuja and spilt the content along the road.
The sharp bend was created by a construction company building an overhead bridge to ease traffic flow along AYA-Nyanya expressway.
The unfortunate incident, according to eyewitness happened at about 2pm yesterday when the yet to identified tanker driver, in company of his boys were conveying the product to yet to be identified location.
The incident caused traffic gridlock, forcing commuters to use alternative roads or walk long distance to get to their destinations. While many commuters shared the pains of the victims, others were happy that the incident didn’t happen on a weekday.
The inferno also caused panic in the entire neighborhood as households in the entire Asokoro neighborhood, particularly those resident in the Department of State Security Services (DSS) staff quarters, quickly mobilised to evacuate their families to safety.
However, aside the driver and six of his boys, Daily Sun was informed that no other vehicle nor passerby was consumed in the inferno, despite the fact that fire burnt along the spilt highly inflammable petroleum products.
While some eyewitness account confirmed that three of the victims were female passengers, others insisted that four of them escaped through one of the windows.
However, it took a combined effort of the men of Federal Fire Service and other emergency agencies to put off the fire.
