About 48 hours after a petrol tanker accident resulted in fire disaster at Upper Iweka and Ochanja areas of Onitsha, another petrol tanker caused yet more damage early on Friday morning in Onitsha.
The Anambra State Police Command, while confirming the incident in a statement signed by SP Haruna Mohammed, its PPRO, said it occurred at Omaba Phase Two around Chukwudi bus stop, Onitsha, after another tanker laden with petrol fell down at the middle of Onitsha/Enugu Expressway about 3.30 am Friday.
“Today, Oct. 18 at about 03:26 am, a trailer loaded with petroleum product at Omoba Area along Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, collided with a truck and ignited fire burning three caterpillars, three cars and a truck laden with planks,” Mohammed said in the statement made available to newsmen in Awka on Friday.
He said the police patrol teams led by the Area Commander Onitsha rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the situation to loot and Fire Service department was equally contacted which responded promptly and put off the fire before it became intractable.
Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, CP John B. Abang, has ordered for a discreet investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident.
Mohammed said no loss of lives was recorded and obstruction was cleared to enable free flow of traffic.
