An unfortunate event took place on the East-West Road in Eleme, Rivers State.
A tanker transporting petroleum products exploded close to the Indorama Petrochemical Company, causing a devastating fire. The incident occurred around 9:15 p.m. on Friday, claiming the lives of at least four people and causing significant damage to multiple vehicles.
- An explosion occurred in a notorious high-traffic area along the Akpajo-Onne axis, exacerbating the effects on nearby vehicles and infrastructure.
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A local resident from Akpajo in the Eleme Local Government Area told ASM that the explosion was so powerful it generated a deafening noise audible from a significant distance, underscoring the blast’s severity.
– The source, identified as Vikko, mentioned, “I heard an extremely loud sound around 20 minutes ago, and people were screaming.”
“The sound came from the Petro-Chemical company area. So when I came out, I saw a thick smoke with fire from a distance.”
A Port Harcourt-based broadcast journalist, Segun Owolabi, who gave a live update from the scene aired on his company’s Radio Station (Super FM, 93.3), painted a gory picture and said he counted four bodies burnt.
Owolabi stated, “I saw four dead bodies burnt. Some may have been in the bushes because many ran away. I saw a whole stretch of vehicles burnt down, trailer burnt down.”
On what may have caused the fire, which he said was still raging, he said, “There seems to be a truck carrying substances, and it was as if it had a collision with another vehicle that may have ignited the fire. Over 20 vehicles burnt down and several people trapped.
“There may be more bodies. Oh my God this is a tragedy. A stretch of vehicles burnt.”
He mentioned that three fire-fighting trucks from the Indorama Petrochemical company had arrived at the scene and were attempting to extinguish the still-raging fire.
He added, “Our call right now is to other companies to assist in putting out the fire because it may overwhelm the three fire trucks by the Indorama Company.
“Some security agents are here too, but we call for security presence to ensure nothing else happens here. Also the Rivers State Government and other relevant agencies should rise to the occasion in seeing that the situation is brought under control.
“Also, the Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area should swing into action and make every necessary call he needs to make to save people of his area and others using the road.”
- Owolabi mentioned the fire was still burning intensely as he departed, with dense smoke rising into the air.
- After the event, reports indicated that numerous travelers and commuters were left stranded due to the road closure leading to Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and other areas.
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