Nigeria: Tanker Fire Destroys Over 30 Houses, Shops in Ibadan

Over 30 houses and shops were Monday razed in Omitowoju area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, in a late afternoon inferno caused by a petrol-laden tanker which fell on a road side. THISDAY learnt that the fully loaded tanker was trying to link Inalende road towards the Mokola round about area of the city when the driver lost control falling on its side while its 33,000 litres content which spilled on the gutter immediately sparked fire. It was gathered that the driver of the tanker took the densely populated area due to the closure of the Dugbe/Mokola road as a result of the ongoing construction of an overhead bridge in Mokola by the state government.

While the fire was still burning as at the time of filling this report, the effect of the inferno led to traffic jam at the area by many sympathisers who with the men of the state fire service were trying to put out the fire. According to an eye witness, when the tanker fell, people in the area rushed out of their houses and afterwards the entire area was enveloped in a thick smoke. continued