By Okechukwu Onuegbu
A tanker carrying Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), on Wednesday, felled into a ditch at Onitsha, the commercial nerve of Anambra state exploding fire to markets.
An eye witness, Mr Uchenna Onukwo, said the incident occurred at 12.50pm at Upper Iweke close to Toronto Hospital, Onitsha when the Tanker which was moving towards Onitsha bridge head lost control due to break failure.
“We heard the conductor of the tanker shouting 'no break!' while the vehicle was moving down. Everyone took to his heels. But on climbing the bump that is after the overhead crossing, the head of the tanker was detached from the back that is containing the fuel and it felled into the gutter by right and caught fire.
“No life was loss. But over 30 wheelbarrows, buses and others left by their owners caught fire. The police, Federal Road Safety and others came to maintain law and order. Fire service did not arrive on time and when arrived could not do anything to stop it due water shortage, lack of chemical and manpower,” he stated.
Factcheckng reports that at the time of filing this report the fire had extended to Oguta road and Ochanja market, destroying houses, buses and other properties worth million of naira.
Attempt to reach the state Fire Chief/Fire Director, Mr Martins Agbili, on phone proved abortive as his line was not connecting. However, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Anambra state command, Haruna Mohammed, while sharing video clips and images of the fire incident, said that the police commissioner, John B. Abang was at the scene with other security officers.
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