18th October, 2023
By Abiodun Lawal
At least two persons were feared to have suffered some burns in a Wednesday morning fire at Nine Energies filling station, Asero, Abeokuta.
According to an eyewitness, the fire started at about 10 a.m. when a medium-sized tanker was offloading diesel into another tanker.
The victims were reported to include the driver of the tanker who came to receive the diesel and his assistant.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that firefighters from the State Fire Service made frantic efforts to put out the fire.
Police officers and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were on ground for crowd control at the fire scene.
Speaking further on the incident, the eyewitness said: “The fire started around 10 am and we all saw the thick smoke coming out from the filling station.
“Nobody could go near the station because of the intensity of the fire.
“The firefighters from Ogun State Fire Service later came around to put out the fire.
“We later got to know that the fire started when a tanker that brought diesel was transferring it into another tanker.
“It was the tanker that was receiving the diesel that went up in flames.
The one that brought the diesel hurriedly left the place to avoid being caught up,” the source said on the condition of anonymity.
The Director of Ogun State Fire Service, Fatai Adefala, confirmed the incident to NAN.
Adefala, however, said that the victims only sustained injuries and were rushed to Ogun State Hospital, Ijaye for medical treatment.
Adefala also said that only one tanker was involved in the incident.
“Only one tanker was involved and the fire started when the tanker was about to dispense the diesel into the underground tank.
“It was the pumping machine that ignited the fire and the two people injured only suffered minor injuries and were rushed to the state hospital,” he said.