One of the survivors of the tanker explosion that rocked Ore, in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo state, where about 20 people were reportedly dead, Awalu Saliu, on Monday recounted his ordeals on how he narrowly cheated death.
About 20 people were said to have been killed while several others were reportedly injured in the inferno but the state Police Command confirmed that eight bodies were recovered from the scene of the incident.
Speaking, Saliu, a commercial motorcyclist, said that the tanker driver lost control of the vehicle and entered a ditch while the fuel spilt into a nearby stream
He said the residents invaded the scene with kegs, buckets and kegs to scoop the fuel and he had to park his motorcycle and joined them, saying the driver and his motor boy were helpless, while the people scooped the fuel.
He, however, said there was a loud explosion from some 200 meters from the scene of the incident but most people did not pay attention to the explosion until the fire travels to the scene of the accident.
Saliu who hails from Sokoto said ” I am an Okada rider, the tanker fell around 4:30 pm and I joined other people to rush to the scene where I met many people scooping fuel and I joined them after the rain stopped.
I parked my motorcycle and came down and after some time, we heard the loud sound of an explosion the fire was travelling through the water and there was another loud explosion and before we know it, the whole place was in flames.
We ran away from the tanker, we are over 100 scooping the fuel directly from the tanker while I also joined them to run away. Some people who are trying to run away with their scooped fuel were caught by the fire.
Many people would have died if the fire had started from the tanker but it started within the residential area where a woman was said to be cooking. The woman died instantly.
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Also Speaking, a resident of the area, Tijani Diekola, said he was not around when the incident happened but had to rush to the scene to look for one of his nephews who was said to be missing
Diekola said “I got here a few minutes after the explosion and met some burnt corpses on the ground but the situation was so tense and nobody could get near the place.
It was early this morning that some relatives of the victims were able to get the corpses of the affected people. None of them survive the incident because most of them were burnt beyond recognition.
“This morning I met about ten burnt dead bodies including my nephew and a pregnant woman while those around the tanker cannot be recognized. They were packed inside a sack by officials of the FRSC this morning.
“The tanker driver lost control of the vehicle and entered the ditch around 4:30 pm. The people started trooping to the place, scooping fuel until the ugly incident happened around 6 pm”
Explaining how the incident happened, Diekola said, “What actually happened was that the fuel started spilling into a stream in the area, while the residents continue to scoop the fuel with buckets and kegs until the explosion occurred.
“Unfortunately, a woman was cooking in her kitchen when the inflammable product on the water caught fire, burning the woman to death while the fire travels back to the tanker.
“A pregnant woman crossing the stream with three other minors was caught in the river and was burnt beyond recognition with the cash she was holding.
“No one could move to rescue them because of the intensity of the fire. Some other people who were close to the tanker were also badly affected. Their remains were packed this morning”
One of the residents, who identified herself as Mrs Bamidele, lamented over the death of a nine-year-old boy, Azeez, who was stampede to death during the scramble that followed the explosion.
According to her, the young boy had just finished eating when the explosion occurred and the residents were scrambling for safety while he was stampede to death.
He said “The mother has been sedated and we await the arrival of the father who left for his office in Akure on Sunday afternoon. He has been briefed and the boy will be buried today.
“Some of the people were burnt beyond recognition and their relatives invaded here this morning to pack their remains, the death toll as of this morning should be over 20 while some people who made it out of the fire have been confirmed dead this morning. It was a horrible scene”
Attempts to speak with some of the survivors at the General Hospital in Sabo, Ore, were not successful as health officials at the hospital prevented the relatives and the victims to speak with a Nigerian Tribune correspondent.
One of the officials explained that the Chief Medical Director was out of the office for an official engagement but urged our correspondent to come back tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the State Police Command has attributed the explosion to the
illicit activities of some members of the public, who were siphoning fuel from a fallen petroleum tanker, at Showboy area of Ore, in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Funmi Odunlami, who stated this while speaking with Nigerian Tribune, confirmed that eight people lost their lives in the incident and their remains had been deposited at the hospital.
According to the PPRO, a preliminary investigation revealed that the fire incident was a result of a petrol tanker loaded with 33,000 litres of PMS that lost control and swerved off the road to a nearby ditch while the product spilt into a nearby stream.
Mourning the death of the victims, the Ondo state government in a statement signed by Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju said “With deep regrets and sadness, we mourn the tragic death of our fellow citizens in an explosion from a fuel-laden tanker at Ore, in Odigbo local government.
“The government and people of the State are devastated by this unfortunate tragedy, which is not only gripping but mind-numbing. It is a tragedy that should not have occurred. Our hearts go out to the victims of the fuel tanker explosion and their families.
“This is a most horrendous way to die. We are shocked and traumatized as we express the depth of our grief for the victims of the explosion.
“The state would reach out to the victims’ families who are affected by these avoidable deaths. Whatever circumstances that led to this unfortunate incident must be discouraged.
“This is one tragedy too many and it is our joint responsibility to ensure this does not happen again. May God grant repose to the souls of the departed and succour to their families”
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