Three die, 10 houses burnt as tanker crashes in Enugu
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No fewer than three charred bodies have so far been recovered from an early morning fire that started from a fallen oil tanker close to the Enugu Prisons in Enugu.
The fire, which involved a truck with registration number XT 968 JJJ (Lagos), started at about 7am.
A Deputy Police Commissioner, Mr. Stephen Ekpei, who was at the scene, confirmed the deaths to the News Agency of Nigeria. He denied rumours that the fire was the handiwork of
Boko Haram.
”There is no bomb scare in Enugu. It was just a tanker load of diesel that fell and eventually ignited a fire,” he said.
Ekpei advised residents of the coal city to get about their normal business as the situation was under control.
Commandant, Enugu Command of the Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Sikiru Raimi, told NAN that the incident occurred when a tanker load of diesel lost control while negotiating a roundabout.
”The tanker fell spilling the product that eventually caught fire,” he said.
According to him, it was unfortunate that the fire followed the spilling fuel to some of the houses close to the scene.
He also confirmed evacuating three corpses that were burnt beyond recognition. Raimi said the members of the fire service arrived in good time to battle the blaze.
Enugu State Commissioner for Rural Development, Dr Eric Oluedo, who was at the scene, blamed the incident to carelessness of the driver.
”It was caused by careless driving. We should take education to every level in this country. We should educate all our drivers and artisans.
”This thing is avoidable. How can an articulated truck negotiate a turn in top speed, only for it to skid.
”I‘m happy that my men (firemen) responded in time to battle the fire,” Oluedo said.
He, however, noted that the blaze was overwhelming, adding ”You know this is gas and highly flammable.”
The Comptroller of Prisons in Enugu State, Mr Chris Ntewo, said it was a pity the incident occurred, adding, ”I thank God that all security operatives were mobilised to the scene. All inmates of the prisons are intact.”
A NAN correspondent at the scene reports that as the fire spread, nearby houses in the prisons quarters were badly affected.
There was wailing and shouting as bodies of those that were burnt where retrieved by medical teams from the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Police and Civil Defence.
The Dog Section of Prisons Service, VIOs and NEMA officials were also at the scene to lend helping hands. They were either containing the fire, evacuating the injured.
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