Ikpeazu compensates fire victims

• Published date: 10 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

What could have been the first major fire outbreak that could have destroyed property and human lives in Aba, the commercial city of Abia State, has been averted by the officials of the state Fire Service and their counterparts from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

A tanker carrying Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) overturned its content on the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway.

Our correspondent reports that the incident occurred as the tanker was ascending the popular hill after the Waterside River, while heading for an undisclosed location around the Opobo junction where it will discharge its content at a filing station.

It was gathered that the compartment bearing the PMS pulled off from the head of the truck before overturning and spilling its contents on the highway and nearby drainage before emptying into the popular Waterside River.

The situation was said to have caused panic, as motorists coming from both ends of the road, which serves as entry and exit route into Aba, while trying to escape from the impending danger, ended up causing gridlock on the road.

It was learnt that some passengers alighted from private vehicles and commercial buses, including commercial tricycles, scampering for safety.

A source at the state Fire Service in Aba, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent that nobody died, while they saved property worth millions of cash through their prompt response to the scene of the incident.

'As soon as we got information about the fallen tanker with content, knowing how busy the road is, we rushed to the scene with our vehicle.

'Because the weather was hot, we quickly tried to cool the tanker and the main road, to avoid...