A petrol tanker accident on Sunday claimed one life and left another person injured at Umuike Echem village, Nnobi, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The truck, which was carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), reportedly lost control while navigating a sharp bend and crashed into a perimeter fence.
An eyewitness told the press that “as the driver was navigating a sharp bend, he lost control of the vehicle and the petrol tanker tipped off and hit a wall. The content started dripping, posing a high risk of a heavy fire outbreak.”
According to the witness, there were two people in the vehicle—the driver and a conductor. “The conductor fell off and died instantly. The driver was injured and taken to the hospital,” he added.
Operatives of the Anambra State Fire Service were said to arrive at the scene and prevent what could have been a major explosion.
The state’s fire service boss, Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed the incident in a press release on Monday.
“The State Fire Service received the distress call at 09:45 a.m. on Sunday and immediately deployed two crews of firemen, two firefighting trucks and other equipment to the scene,” Chiketa said.
He explained that the team began a cooling operation on arrival and successfully transferred the remaining PMS into another tanker.
“The truck conductor lost his life on the spot, while the driver is currently responding to treatment at a hospital,” Chiketa added.
As of Monday, fire officials had cordoned off the area to keep people and vehicles away from the scene.
Chiketa extended condolences to the deceased person’s family and urged the public to remain calm, assuring them that the situation was under control.
