At least seven persons have been burnt to death when a Liquefied Petroleum Gas ( LPG) tanker, exploded at a filling station, on Onicha-Enugu Expressway, Anambra, on Sunday night.
A total of eleven vehicles and several houses were also burnt during the fire explosion.
The LPG tanker which exploded at about 7.30.p.m. spread fire to two other filling stations and a mechanic workshop where four vehicles were burnt.
Mr Martin Agbili, Director, Anambra State Fire Service, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the explosion threw the environment into panic due to the fire caused by the incident.
“The State Fire Service promptly responded to distress calls by residents of the area and workers of the fuel stations.
“Four fire trucks and fire fighters were deployed to the scene battling the fire,” he said.
The State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Adeoye Irelewuyi, also confirmed the incident, imploring the public to be calm and patient.
“Men of the Fire Service and FRSC Rescue Team were on ground working to curtail the inferno.
“Meanwhile, the area has been cordoned off and traffic diverted. No casualties and the total damages are yet to be ascertained, ” he said.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Government has sealed and taken possession of the fuel station, Chris Tee and Silver Fuel Stations gutted by fire.
Governor Willie Obiano who gave the directive when he visited the scene, directed law enforcement agencies to close down fuel stations in the state where gas skits are cited.
The governor explained that he got Intel that the fire was ignited when the dealers were in the process of offloading and discharging cooking gas.
However, he expressed happiness at the response time by the fire service and security agencies and warned dealers to desist from building gas skits within their premises.
The member representing Onitsha Constituency 2 at the State House of Assembly, Mr. Eddy Ibuzo, Transition Committee Chairman for Onitsha North, Mr. Patrick Ayamba, Anambra State Fire Chief, Mr. Martin Agili, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Petroleum matters, Mr. Peter Nwosu as well as heads of security agencies, were at the scene to receive the governor.
