Ogun Tanker Blast Claims Three, Injures Four, Burns Six Vehicles

Three persons have been confirmed dead, while four others sustained varying degrees of injuries following a tanker explosion that occurred along the Presidential Boulevard, Kuto axis of Abeokuta metropolis, the Ogun State capital.
The incident occurred around 8:15am when the 33,000-litre tanker had brake failure while descending the Kuto overhead bridge.
The popular IBB Boulevard, Kuto-Oke-Ileweo road is where CBN and GTBank are located.
Six vehicles and six motorcycles were also burnt in the fuel tanker fire incident.
The development led to confusion as the incident happened near a private school and a bank facility with parents rushing to get their children from the school.
Men of the federal and Ogun State fire services were at the scene of the incident to bring the raging fire under control, while motorists were advised to ply the alternative route.
The Ogun Commissioner for Special Duties, Barrister Femi Ogunbanwo, who was at the scene of the incident, said that the injured persons have been taken to the state hospital in Ijaye and that the state government will cover the medical bills.
He also assured that investigation was ongoing on the cause of the incident in order to avert re-occurrence.
The Director of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Ige Olufolarin, while speaking with journalists at the scene of the fire disaster, confirmed the number of casualties, stressing that the accident was as a result of brake failure on the part of the tanker truck.
The state Director of Fire Service, Engineer Fatai Adefola, who also spoke with journalists after the fire had been put out (extinguished), also confirmed that a total number of six light trucks (cars), as well as six motorcycles, were burnt alongside the petroleum tanker in the inferno.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) also confirmed that three persons died while several others were injured, yesterday, when a petrol tanker exploded on IBB Boulevard in Abeokuta.
The FRSC Sector Commander in Ogun State, Mr Ahmed Umar, who confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta, said that five vehicles and two motorcycles were burnt in the incident.
“The cause of the accident is still under investigation, we have to conduct a thorough investigation.
“It was an accident involving a tanker loaded with premium motor spirit. It fell and caught fire, affecting other vehicles.
“Our men are there with the fire service to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading further,’’ Umar said.