A petroleum tanker driver was in the early hours of Wednesday burnt to death in a tanker fire at Ojoo area axis of the Lagos – Ibadan expressway in Ibadan.
It was learnt that the driver of the tanker said to be carrying a full load of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, lost control while in motion after which he collided with two other trucks said to be in its front resulting in the accident.
An eye witness account said the two trucks somersaulted into a nearby ditch after which an explosion sound was heard, followed by fire outbreak which burnt the driver to death while his apprentice was rescued and later rushed to the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.
Speaking on the fire incident, the general manager of Oyo State Fire Service, Mr Yemi Akinyinka, said men of the fire agency immediately moved to the scene as soon as they were contacted and that the tanker was completely burnt by the fire.
“The unfortunate incident was reported at exactly 02:45hrs on Wednesday, 22nd January 2025. The fire personnel, led by ACFS Ogunkanbi, were promptly deployed to the scene and arrived on time. Upon arrival, we found three trucks, about 20 meters apart from one another, involved in the fire accident,” he said.
Mr Akinyinka added, ” “The driver of the tanker was recovered, while the motor boy was rescued alive by the fire officers and conveyed to UCH for medical treatment. The petrol tanker was destroyed by the devastating fire, but the other two trucks and vehicle spare parts inside were saved by the agency’s personnel.”
“The accident occurred when a trailer tanker carrying PMS lost control while in motion and hit the other two trucks in front. The two trucks somersaulted into the nearby ditch and caught fire.”
Mr Akinyinka added that other stakeholders like men of the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), also joined the agency during the incident.
