Firefighters stop petrol tanker blast in Kwara

Firefighters on Saturday stopped a big disaster in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State. They prevented a petrol tanker carrying 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit from blowing up after it had a mechanical fault.

This incident happened around 9:40 a.m. at Madi Junction along the Oko-Olowo Expressway.

The Kwara State Fire Service shared this news through its spokesperson, Hassan Adekunle. He explained that the tanker had a mechanical problem while it was on the road.

According to the statement, things got worse when the tank came off the truck while the driver was trying to fix the faulty part. This caused the highly flammable fuel to leak out.

“It was while the driver was trying to fix the affected part that the tank detached from the vehicle, resulting in the leakage of petroleum and posing a significant fire hazard,” Hassan said.

He said the firefighters quickly secured the area and stayed on standby during the operation. They safely moved the leaking fuel into another tanker.

“Our firefighters immediately secured the area and remained on standby throughout the operation to ensure strict compliance with all safety measures.

“The emergency response team provided continuous fire protection while the petroleum was carefully transferred from the affected tanker to another tanker. This prevented any possible ignition or escalation of the incident,” he added.

Adekunle said they finished the operation without any fire outbreak, injuries, or loss of life.

The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, praised the firefighters. He also advised tanker operators to carry out regular checks on their vehicles. He urged them to call emergency responders quickly whenever there are petrol-related issues.

Alabi said, “I commend our firefighters for their professionalism and prompt response, which prevented what could have been a major disaster.

“I also urge tanker operators and motorists to ensure their vehicles are properly maintained and to notify emergency responders immediately whenever petroleum-related emergencies occur. Prompt reporting is essential to safeguarding lives, property and the environment.”