Fuel tanker overturns, sparks fire in Edo
A petrol tanker went up in flames today after it fell at a bad section of the Ogheghe junction along Sapele Road, Benin City.
A viral video from the scene showed thick smoke billowing into the sky as residents and motorists kept their distance from the raging fire. The eyewitness who filmed the clip confirmed that the incident occurred at the Ogheghe junction by the bypass.
An eyewitness, identified simply as Faith, told newsmen that firefighters were immediately dispatched to the scene after receiving a distress call around 7 p.m. However, she lamented that heavy traffic and the refusal of motorists to make way for emergency vehicles delayed their arrival.
“We were called about 7 p.m. and sent our officials with firefighting equipment to the scene,” she said. “It took them a while to get there because motorists did not create a passage. This delay has been a recurring challenge during fire emergencies. Our personnel eventually arrived a little after 8 p.m.”
The Ogheghe axis of Sapele Road has long been a source of concern for motorists due to deep potholes that slow traffic and increase accident risks.
This latest incident comes days after the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed that eight people were burnt to death in a separate accident at Agbede community along the Benin–Auchi Road in Etsako West Local Government Area.
FRSC Edo Sector Commander, Cyril Mathew, said the Agbede crash occurred when a truck descending the Ewu Hill from Benin towards Auchi suffered brake failure and rammed into vehicles caught in traffic.
