Many die, 20 vehicles burnt in Onitsha tanker fire

It was wailing and weeping at the popular Upper Iweka area of Onitsha, the commercial capital of Anambra State as a merciless inferno consumed many and wounded scores others on Sunday afternoon.

The fire was caused by a fuel-laden tanker, which fell and spilled its content and then burst into flames, catching many commuters, hawkers and prospective passengers unawares, even as many escaped with various degree of injuries.

Eye witnesses speak of a gory spectacle of completely burnt human beings dotting the vicinity of the Asaba Park, where the inferno was said to have also burnt about 20 buses loading passengers to head to the nearby Asaba, capital of Delta State.

The witness, who said he was coming from the Onitsha end on his way to Asaba with his family, said “I don’t know how it happened. It is either the tanker lost control or something, but it was coming at a top speed when it suddenly fell and burst into flames. Many people could not escape because they were taken unawares and few managed to escape, some of them with injuries, while those who could not make it were burnt, some beyond recognition.

“My brother, pray that you never meet that kind of death. You don’t know where to escape as the fire spread everywhere within seconds. You cannot quantify the number of people who died, but they cannot be less than 50. But it can be more given the way that park is usually busy with people. People were just standing as far as possible watching their fellow human beings being roasted, because there was nothing anybody could do. You can’t even get close because of the heat coming from the fire.

He said that as at the time of leaving the scene, nobody had come to the rescue of the victims.