Scores Die in Rivers Tanker Inferno
…Several cars burnt.
By: Barikui Felix, Port Harcourt.
An unspecified number of persons have lost their lives while over 75 vehicles were burnt in a tanker fire outbreak along the Eleme Section of the East -West Road in Rivers State.
The incident which occurred around 7:30pm Friday, was caused by a collision between a tanker laden with Premium Motor Spirit (fuel) and another truck at the Akpajo-Onne section of the road close to Indorama Petrochemicals Company.
Eyewitnesses say several persons were burnt beyond recognition as their cars were trapped in the inferno.
Cars involved in the incident includes private vehicles, commercial vehicles and trucks carrying goods from the Onne Wharf and Onne Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone.
The eyewitnesses said firefighters from Indorama Petrochemicals Company helped to put off the fire.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara who visited the scene of the inferno Saturday morning expressed grief over the incident.
He described the situation as unfortunate and commiserated with those who lost their loved ones and vehicles as a result of the inferno.
“I got the information through the MD of Indorama and I immediately alerted the security agencies to make sure that they step in. And from what we are seeing this morning, it wasn’t a pleasant situation.”
“From what I am seeing, we recorded a huge number of vehicles destroyed and souls lost. But I have already asked the security agencies to give us a full brief so that we can assess the situation fully and see what we can do to support the bereaved families and how to cushion the effects of the losses which we believe is no fault of a good number of them,” he said.
Also lamenting the situation, the State Commissioner for Energy, Uche Nwafor who accompanied the governor to the scene, urged commuters on the East-West road to be cautious as the situation of the road calls for carefulness, adding that the disaster would have been avoidable if motorists also behaved properly.
