Many shop owners, residents and passer-by were seen scampering for safety after a petrol-filled tanker busted in flames around Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
Already, two people have been reported dead at Moniya area of Ibadan.
As the fire raged, many shops and vehicles in the area were razed, forcing traders in and around the market to abandon their shops and wares for safety.
It was learnt that the diesel-laden tanker skidded off the road and crushed a vehicle in the nearby side of the road.
Eye witness account said the fire quickly spread into some of the shops and other vehicles parked in the nearby areas burning them into ashes.
Oyo state Chief Fire Officer, Mr Moshood Adewuyi, while commenting on the fire incident said, “One passenger, who was trapped in the vehicle got burnt while the other life was lost but we are yet to determine the number of casualties in the incidence.”
Mr Adewuyi said that his men arrived at the scene in good time, considering the distance they needed to cover to get to the spot, saying, “the fire started when a fully laden tanker conveying diesel lost control while descending the slope beside a filling station at Moniya. There was brake failure and the vehicle crushed a vehicle going to Ogbomoso.
“One passenger, who was trapped in the vehicle got burnt. One other life was lost.”
