Swift action by the Oyo State Fire Service on Wednesday night prevented what could have been a catastrophic tanker explosion near Jin-Jofes Filling Station, Iwo Road, Ibadan.
The incident was reported at 8:07 p.m. via a distress call from Mr. Adisa Kazeem to the fire service headquarters.
According to a statement from the agency’s General Manager, Akinyinka Akinyemi, firefighters led by ACFS Adeniyi Adesina arrived promptly to find a 50,000-litre DAF trailer tanker (Reg. No. T17657LA – Lagos) loaded with Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) overturned into a roadside gutter, with its highly flammable content gushing out.
Fire crews immediately deployed chemical foam compound to blanket the spillage, neutralizing the fuel’s flammability and preventing ignition from nearby sources.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the accident occurred when the driver lost control while navigating a bend.
Both the driver and the motorboy were rescued; the motorboy sustained a minor shoulder injury and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Akinyemi confirmed that no lives or property were lost, thanks to the swift containment efforts.
The operation was supported by officers of the Nigeria Police Force (Akobo Division) and members of the Amotekun Corps, who secured the area until the salvage work concluded in the early hours of Thursday.
