Toddler, others die as fuel tanker explodes in Akure
About five people have been confirmed dead after a tanker containing 33,000 litres of petrol fell and spilled its contents around Shagari Village junction on Akure-Owo Expressway, Akure, on Wednesday evening.
The spillage led to an explosion and a fire.
Eyewitnesses said the tanker was on a high speed when a car attempted to overtake it, causing the tanker to fall as it swerved to avoid hitting the car.
“The tanker was on top speed when a Toyota Corolla suddenly crossed the road. As the tanker driver was trying to avoid hitting the car, he swerved off his lane and the vehicle fell on the car and caught fire immediately,” the witness told Punch.
The deceased, including a toddler, were those trapped inside a commercial vehicle, private cars and a motorcycle that got burnt when the explosion happened.
The eyewitness also added that some fire operatives and other security agencies later arrived to put out the fire, and the injured victims were rushed to the state specialist hospital. The bodies of the deceased were deposited in a morgue.
