A fire at the Nine Energies petrol station in Asero, Abeokuta, Ogun State, was said to have killed two individuals on Wednesday.
A midsize truck was reportedly putting diesel into another tanker when the fire began.
It was also discovered that the tanker driver who arrived to pick up the diesel and his assistant were among those who were first believed to have perished as a result of the catastrophe.
When our journalist arrived at the location, the former NIPCO filling station, he saw the burned-out tanker and the Ogun State Fire Service personnel who had arrived to put out the fire.
To safeguard the security of people and property, some police officers and representatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC) were also present.
According to a source, the fire started at 10 am.
“We all only recently noticed the dense smoke emanating from the petrol station. The fire was so hot that no one dared approach the petrol station. Later, the Ogun State Fire Service firefighters arrived to extinguish the fire.
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“We later learned that the fire began when a diesel tanker was moving its cargo into another tanker. While the truck that brought the diesel hastily departed the area to escape being caught up, it was the tanker that was receiving the diesel that burst into flames. However, the two people inside the fuel truck were severely burned, and some people transported them to the hospital,” the source said.
The incident was confirmed by the Director of Ogun State Fire Service, Fatai Adefala, who added that individuals engaged in the fire incident only suffered minor wounds and were sent to Ogun State Hospital, Ijaye for care.
Adefala also clarified that the incident only involved one tanker.
He responded, “Yes, I was there; there was only one tanker involved; the fire began as the tanker prepared to dispense diesel into the underground tank; it was the pumping machine that sparked the fire; the two injured sustained only minor injuries; they were taken to the state hospital.”
Omolola Odutola, the state police command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), also verified the fire event but stated that she was unable to determine whether or not there had been any casualties.
