Fire engulfs petroleum tanker discharging fuel

A Petrol Tanker laden with the product was on Wednesday engulfed in fire at the Conoil service station on Airport Rroad, Lugbe, Abuja.

The tanker, which was offloading petrol at about 5:55 p.m., at the station, was engulfed in fire, making motorists and passerby to scamper for safety.

The News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) reports that the intervention of the fire service saved the situation as about six fire machines were deployed to extinguish it.

The inferno, however, lasted till 7:10 p.m. when the fire fighters succeeded in combating it.

NAN reports that scores of onlookers, who besieged the station, shouted on top of their voices when the fire service succeeded in putting it out.

Mr Gidado Ismail, an official of the Fire Service, said although fire could result at any time, this particular one was due to high temperature.

He said that the outbreak must have resulted from the process of discharging the fuel, adding that the temperature probably triggered it.

According to him, the tanker probably came from a far distance and heated up while some procedures were not followed before discharging the fuel, leading to the fire.

He, however, said that no “monumental damages’’ were recorded as the men of fire service moved swiftly to control it .

SP Tunde Kabiru of the Lugbe Divisional Police Headquarters, commended the fire service, adding that the damages incurred would have been monumental if not for the swift response.

He said that the tanker was already offloading when it was suddenly discovered that fire had already engulfed the bottom part of the hole where the fuel was being offloaded.

“The information we had was that the tanker came and was discharging fuel and it was about finishing discharging the fuel when suddenly they discovered fire from the underground,” he said.

Effort made by a NAN Correspondent to speak with the Manager of the station was rebuffed, saying he was still in shock and not willing to talk.

NAN reports that the tanker was partially burnt while no damages were recorded.