A petrol-laden tanker, on Thursday night, crashed along Enugu Road by Ikpa Market junction in Nsukka, Enugu State. The incident forced the diversion of traffic off the dual carriageways to avoid a possible explosion of the tanker.
THE WHISTLER gathered that the tanker hit a stationary mini-truck belonging to a popular beer distribution company before twisting its head in a gutter.
An eyewitness, Ifeoma Ozioko, said, “The driver survived, but the entire head of the tanker was condemned. Our joy is that the tanker did not catch fire; otherwise, it would have been hell. There were about seven mini-trucks around where it crashed. The incident also occurred around pubs and residential areas.”
A pub operator, who identified himself as Ekene, said, “We heard a bang! On getting there, it was terrible. Public-spirited individuals cordoned off the area immediately. Motorists were then diverted to available routes to avoid gridlocks. It helped a lot because of the vulnerability of the tanker to explosion.”
It was gathered that men of the state fire service responded immediately. “They worked tirelessly in the night, and this morning, they are still there to ensure that the drips were doused with water,” an eyewitness said, adding that, “It didn’t spill except from minor sources. We expect its evacuation as soon as possible. The traffic has been diverted, and motorists are making use of alternative routes.”
THE WHISTLER reports that the fence of a major beer distribution company was broken, with two trucks severely affected. People were not allowed to get close to video the scene to avoid possible fire outbreaks.
Efforts to interview the state Chief Fire Officer, Engr Okwudiri Ohaa, did not yield results as of the time of filing this report.
