AUCHI INFERNO — DISASTER AVERTED AS TANKER EXPLOde; 25 INJURED AMID FUEL SCOOPING CHAOS
AUCHI, EDO STATE — A catastrophic explosion involving a petrol-laden tanker has left the town of Auchi in a state of shock and mourning following a harrowing evening of fire and narrow escapes.
As of this hour, at least 25 residents are being treated for various degrees of burns at local medical facilities, while property damage is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of naira.
THE INCIDENT
The disaster struck at approximately 6:30 PM on Wednesday, when a tanker transporting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) overturned at a notorious "black spot" on the Auchi-Okene Highway, near the popular Winners Junction.
The impact caused a massive rupture, sending thousands of gallons of highly flammable fuel into the town’s drainage systems. In a terrifying turn of events, the fire ignited and traveled through these underground channels, leading to a series of "coordinated" explosions that surfaced at Igbe Road, Igbo Shade, and Warrake Road Junction.
RESIDENTS DANCE WITH DEATH
Eyewitness accounts and viral video footage obtained by our newsroom show a disturbing scene prior to the explosion: dozens of residents, including youths and women, were seen scrambling to scoop fuel from the gutters with buckets and jerricans.
Despite the looming danger, many remained adamant until the Edo State Police Command arrived to forcefully disperse the crowd. Security experts say that had the police not intervened when they did, the death toll would have been "unprecedented."
An eyewitness told etuno vioce that “people certainly died but the number is unknown yet.”
FAILURE OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Public outcry is mounting today over the lack of a rapid response from the Fire Service department in Auchi. Residents claim the fire was allowed to spread through the drainage network for a significant period before any professional intervention arrived, leaving local volunteers to battle the flames with sand and water.
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LESSONS FROM THE ASHES
Authorities are pointing to this incident as a grim reminder of two critical lessons:
The Drainage Danger: A spill on the highway is not contained to the highway. Fuel in gutters turns an entire town into a ticking time bomb.
The Myth of "Free Fuel": The culture of scooping fuel continues to be the deadliest factor in Nigerian tanker accidents. No amount of petrol is worth the risk of a third-degree burn.
CALL TO ACTION: SAFETY MEASURES
On the Part of Government:
Infrastructure: Immediate rehabilitation of the Auchi-Okene highway to prevent tankers from overturning.
Equipment: The urgent decentralization of fire service stations to ensure response times are under 10 minutes.
On the Part of Citizens:
The 500-Meter Rule: In the event of a spill, residents must evacuate at least 500 meters away immediately.
Zero Ignition: Avoid the use of phones or metal objects near spill sites, as a single spark can trigger a subterranean blast.
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