Expert Warns Against Collecting Spilt Fuel After Tanker Fires

The President of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, Timothy Iwuagwu, has warned Nigerians not to scoop spilt fuel at accident scenes. He said a single spark could cause a deadly explosion.

Mr Iwuagwu also pointed out that poor tanker design, lack of proper inspections, and weak enforcement of vehicle safety rules are responsible for many fatal fuel tanker accidents in Nigeria.

He spoke on Friday during an appearance on Arise News’ News Night, just one day after a gas pipeline explosion in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

On Thursday, PREMIUM TIMES reported that a petrol tanker caught fire in Oluku, Benin City, Edo State, as residents tried to scoop up spilt fuel.

Stay Away from Fuel Spills

Mr Iwuagwu urged people to stay clear of fuel spills and make sure the affected areas are blocked off. This is to prevent others from going near the danger.

“Keep away, keep away,” he said, warning that those who rush to collect spilt fuel often do not see the risks involved.

“Scooping the material that has spilt is the most foolhardy of all decisions,” he said.

He explained that fuel vapour can ignite when it comes close to an ignition source, even from a distance.

“An explosion could occur from even an electrostatic source or a spark,” he said.

He added that fuel vapour can travel away from the leak point before it ignites, which could cause a fire at the source.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reported that 411 people died in 2024 while trying to scoop fuel from crash sites. This accounted for about 7.6 percent of road deaths for that year.

A separate study from January 2009 to October 2024 recorded 169 tanker fires and explosions that killed 1,613 people.

Issues with Tanker Design

When asked about the causes of tanker accidents, Mr Iwuagwu highlighted the design and build of the vehicles.

He said tankers should be made to prevent leaks, even if they overturn.

“Not a drop of the liquid content is expected to leak out of that truck, by its very design and configuration,” he said.

He explained that tankers should have internal baffles to reduce liquid movement inside the tank, especially on bumpy roads.

He also mentioned that suspension systems, steering mechanisms, and tyre pressure are important for safety. He warned that uneven tyre pressure can make a loaded tanker unstable.

Lack of Proper Inspections

Mr Iwuagwu said many tankers are imported and cleared through the country’s ports without proper checks on their safety features.

He said safety professionals rarely take part in the inspection process and called for imported tankers to be thoroughly checked and certified before they are allowed on the roads.

“We hardly have the presence of safety professionals in such places,” he said.

He also criticized some companies for avoiding safety inspections.

“A lot of companies are even reluctant to allow safety professionals to look into some of these conveyances,” he said.

He said Nigeria has not effectively dealt with the issue of different tanker designs coming into the country and being used on the roads.

Mr Iwuagwu also criticized road safety and vehicle inspection officers. He said they often focus more on vehicle papers than on the actual condition of the vehicles.

He recalled an incident with a loaded truck near Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos. He noticed that the wheel nuts were loose.

“The wheel nuts were all slack and falling off,” he said, adding that he overtook the truck and forced the driver to stop.

Using Rail Transport for Safety

Mr Iwuagwu called for more use of rail transport to move petroleum products. He believes this would lower the risks involved in transporting highly flammable materials by road.

“The best way to move these things is by rail,” he said.

He also mentioned pipelines as another option but stressed that they must be well maintained to avoid leaks and explosions.

He said transporting petroleum products by rail would help keep them away from road users and communities that are at risk of tanker accidents.