Fire Guts Houses, Church as Tanker Explodes in Edo

A petrol laden tanker on Thursday burst into flames, destroying buildings and shops including a church along the Benin-Akure axis of the community.

It was gathered that the incident was caused by a tanker which fell, spilled its content and exploded.

An eyewitness identified as Mr Mathew Fapohunda, told newsmen that,

ATTENTION: Click “HERE” to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!

“The incident happened between 4pm and 5pm on Thursday.

“A tanker carrying petroleum product from Benin heading towards Akure fell into a gutter and burst into flames.

“We didn’t have the opportunity to verify the content of the truck as people ran for their lives.

“We were helpless but we quickly contacted a nearby company, Okomu Oil, that sent their fire fighter truck.

“Though they put out the fire but not before several houses, shops and a church along the road had been completely razed by the fire, consuming everything inside them worth millions of naira,” he said.

Fapohunda, who is one of the community leader in Owan, however, said no human casualty was recorded in the incident.