At least four people, including a soldier, have reportedly died after a petrol tanker exploded in Oluku, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, along the Benin-Lagos Highway, on Thursday. Several others sustained varying degrees of burns and injuries, while multiple vehicles and shops were destroyed in the inferno.
The incident occurred after the tanker reportedly fell on the road earlier in the morning, prompting residents to scoop fuel from the fallen vehicle. Witnesses said the tanker fell at about 7:30 a.m., with residents rushing to collect the petrol despite efforts by security personnel to stop them.
A shop owner opposite the scene said the fire broke out while people were scooping fuel and quickly spread to nearby properties, including a market belonging to businessman Chief Osamede Adun, popularly known as Bob Izua.
“Many cars were affected in the incident because the fire spread quickly. We have counted four persons that died. One soldier is among the dead,” the witness said.
A survivor, who requested anonymity, said he narrowly escaped the explosion after a soldier warned him about the danger of scooping fuel under the prevailing conditions. He said he turned around after the warning and saw the tanker burst into flames, forcing people in the area to flee for safety.
The survivor added that two men believed to be from northern Nigeria, who were directly beneath the tanker, were among those severely affected by the fire. Shops built along the drainage and other structures in the vicinity were also reportedly destroyed.
Ten people who sustained severe burns were reportedly rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for emergency treatment. The full number of casualties had yet to be established as of the time of reporting.
The hospital management promptly mobilised its emergency response teams to attend to the victims. The Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Professor Idia Ize-Iyamu, led the response across the accident, emergency and burns units, where medical personnel worked to stabilise severely injured patients and reduce further fatalities.
The incident has left extensive damage along the highway corridor, with several vehicles and commercial properties affected by the fire.
