Goods, vehicles, houses and other valuables were burnt yesterday when a fuel truck crashed at Aduwawa market on Benin-Auchi Road near Benin, the Edo State capital and burst into flames.
Scores of traders, artisans, residents and property owners wept profusely while bemoaning their fate. In the incident, which occurred about 7:10a.m., at least six vehicles, five houses, several shops, among others were burnt.
The accident occurred at a bad spot at the popular Upper Mission extension Junction of the Aduwawa end of the dual carriage Benin-Auchi Road now being reconstructed by the Ray Royal Construction (RCC) firm. It was learnt that the driver of the truck was trying to make a U-turn at the junction when it ran into a ditch which forced the front tyre to pull out.
The tanker then fell in the middle of the road. Witnesses said after the truck fell down, the petrol it was conveying poured on the road while some people started scooping the product. Others, however, scampered for safety.
One of the witnesses, who refused to give his name, said residents and shop owners, especially occupants of the nearby buildings were alerted about the accident and the imminent danger.
According to him, several people evacuated their property. He said: “As the truck was making U-turn, its spring pulled off and the weight of the product in the vehicle was on one side which made it to fall. Immediately it fell down, the product started pouring on the road.
In the process, some people in the nearby buildings and shops were alerted, although some of them were yet to open for business. But suddenly, the truck burst into flames which took over the whole area.”
Some people were said to have sustained varying degrees of burns when the truck exploded. When our correspondent visited the scene, there were charred remains of six vehicles, including the truck, buildings and generators belonging to a deaf and dumb ‘vulcanizer’ and a hairdresser. Also, goods stored in the affected shops were burnt to ashes.
The accident also caused gridlock on the Benin-Auchi Road as motorists plying the road were trapped for several hours. It attracted sympathisers and emergency responders. Firefighters from the Edo State Fire Service had a hectic time battling the inferno.
Security agencies were also on ground to maintain law and order as well as rescue victims. The arrival of the security personnel helped to bring the chaotic situation under control.
Two buildings housing sever-al lock-up stores housing paints shops, food stores, restaurants, electronics shops among others were completely burnt while three other residential houses were also affected.
An officer of the state fire service, Mr. Agbonlahor Franklin, said his office got a distress call about 08:01a.m. that there was a fire. He said: “You know that fuel is highly inflammable.
As soon as the truck fell, the product poured on the road and it flowed into the buildings because it fell down on a slope. “The driver of a vehicle ignored the warning signals from security men who were flagging him down.
It was through that the fire started and there was explosion which was very devastating. “But thank God, the men were here on time and were able to put everything under control. “A lot of people sustained various degrees of injury.
On the interim, there are about six vehicles, including the truck and several lock-up shops that are burnt.” While speaking with journalists, some of the victims called on the state government and other relevant bodies to come to their aid.
One of them, Mrs. Felicia Ewonemen, who runs a restaurant, said she and her children escaped death by a whisker. She said: “I was selling this morning when the truck was trying to reverse.
Suddenly the truck fell down, fuel started gushing out and flowing towards my shop. My children and I were running and shouting. “The fire has destroyed my shop.
All the foodstuffs and everything that we had prepared for our customers have been destroyed. This store is my life and only source of livelihood.” Another victim, Mr. Imafidon Iyoma, who sells paints, said goods worth over N2.5 million was destroyed by fire. Iyoma sought government’s intervention to save him and other victims from their agony. He said: “Someone called me to say my shop and those of others were on fire.
I rushed down to see that all I have laboured for has been destroyed. “Well, I don’t have much to say other than that the government should investigate the owners of the truck.
But we know that the truck had the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) logo. For now, we are waiting to see what government would do. “Apart from the goods, I also lost about N150,000 which I left in the store.”
– New Telegraph
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