Tragedy was on Saturday averted when a tanker carrying about 22,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol was gutted by fire along the busy Sapele road, in Benin, the Edo State capital.

It was learnt that the tanker was discharging products at an Oando filling station when the incident occurred at about 2pm. The fire was said to have started from one of the rare tires of the vehicle.

It was learnt that the driver, in an attempt to prevent the truck from being destroyed by the fire, tried to drive the tanker, marked AGB 87 ZD, out of the filling station but could not, as the fire quickly spread to other parts of the tanker.

He was said to have sustained a minor burn in one of his arms in the process. Fire fighters from the Edo State Fire Service, were said to have battled for several hours to prevent the fire from spreading to other vehicles and properties, in the adjoining streets.

When our correspondent got to the scene, officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps were seen managing the heavy gridlock that had resulted from the incident.

A trader close to the filling station, told our correspondent that many residents in the area took out their properties for the fear that the fire Might spread. He also commended the driver for successfully locking some other outlets through which the petroleum product would have come out, spreading the fire.

Another eyewitness, who gave his name as Dave, said “It was the driver who drove the vehicle out of the station that saved all these houses, including the filling station.

He locked all the pipes even when the fire was burning.” The driver, who identified himself as Aisedo, said the fire started from the pit when he was discharging the fuel. He also noted that he brought the product from Warri, in Delta State.

Aisedo said, “Fire came out from the ground and I don’t know how it happened. I ran into my truck and tried to take the tanker away. I have already discharged a compartment. If I had help, the fire would not have occurred.” The manager of the filling station, Mr. Friday Umweni, said over N2m worth of PMS was lost to the fire, adding that he was yet to be briefed on what caused the fire.

When contacted, the state Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr. Oluwasusi Familoni, said that he was yet to get details of the incident, as of the time of filing the report.

http://www.punchng.com/driver-escapes-death-as-fire-guts-petrol-tanker/

lalasticlala

We spent 3hrs plus in benin on our way back from Lagos because of this incident but thank God no life was lost

Bravo driver.......there seems to be some good ones amidst you, God save your family.