Petrol Tanker Fire Kills One In Jos
A fire outbreak from a petrol-laden tanker that fell at the Polo roundabout in Jos, Plateau State has left one person dead with property worth millions of Naira destroyed.
The property destroyed include parts of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Jos, the Jos Metropolitan Development Board shopping complex, and the Oando petrol station as well as some nearby makeshift shops.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday when residents were still in the bed. However, sources said the tanker had break failure at the roundabout that has become notorious for such cases
According to a resident of Gada Biu, Yakubu Nyam, he was asleep when a loud noise woke him up, he thought it was “another crisis as I saw a fire burning not far from my house.”
Nyam said he went out and saw other residents moving towards the scene where it was discovered that “the tanker fell and went up in flames burning shops, vehicles and other property.”
Frantic efforts made to contact the State Fire Service in the nearby Kabong Satellite market for prompt response proved abortive because “there was no fuel in all the trucks,” hence the damage could not be controlled immediately.
Reports quoted the Director of State Fire Service, Caleb Polit as saying; “We are yet to ascertain the cause of the accident and the fire outbreak, I am trying to send my men so that we will have the complete report of the incident.
“We don’t have a fire truck in the Satellite market, it is under maintenance the only one that we have that is working is the Masallachi Juma’a, near ‘C’ division.
“They told me that they went there when they were called. I am yet to get the full details but I will give you the feedback.”
Also, the State Police Command through the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo said details of the incident would be made public after the investigation.
However, the body found at the scene is said to be that of the tanker driver.
