TheCable

Several people are believed to have died after a petrol tanker exploded on Wednesday in Ankpa, a town in Kogi state.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says no fewer than eight persons were confirmed dead, adding that the casualty figure may yet rise.

Stephen Dawulung, Kogi FRSC corps commander, said the accident occurred when a fuel tanker crushed four vehicles, including a passenger bus.

According to NAN, witnesses said the accident occurred when the tanker brake failed.

“Our personnel, who rushed to the scene, were able to rescue two injured persons and rushed them to General Hospital, Ankpa, for immediate medical attention,” the FRSC corps commander said.

“They were able to recover eight charred bodies of the victims from the burnt vehicles and motorcycles involved in the accident.

“As it is now, we are not sure of the actual number of people in the vehicles and the motorcycles involved in this fatal and very unfortunate accident.

“We are still trying to know the actual figure more so that the fire is still raging.

“Aside the tanker, there is a Sharon bus, three cars and three motorcycles, all of which we cannot tell how many people were occupying them before the unfortunate incident.

“Investigations are on in collaboration with officials of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), to ascertain the number of persons that were in the Sharon bus before the incident.

“If it had a full load of passengers to mean no fewer than 10 persons in it, and a person in each of the vehicles and motorcycles involved, then we could be talking of 14 persons in all.

“From our findings, the bus was traveling to Makurdi, but no one knows the number of persons inside it and the very park it loaded from to enable us get the manifest for proper assessment.

“The unfortunate thing is that the tanker burst into flame, burning all the vehicles and motorcycles involved beyond recognition. Even number plates are burnt beyond recognition.”

Dawulung asked the public to report to the FRSC or the nearest police station if their loved ones travelled on Wednesday and cannot be reachable.

Editor’s note: The featured image was used for illustration