Tragedy struck in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Friday morning as a devastating fuel tanker explosion claimed one life and left several others injured. The inferno, which erupted following a collision between a petrol tanker and a truck carrying chemical substances, sent shockwaves through the Iyemanja community along the Okolowo expressway.
SaharaReporters, which broke the news via its official X handle, reported that operatives of the fire service recovered a lifeless body from the charred remains of the truck transporting chemicals after successfully extinguishing the raging flames.
According to witnesses, the catastrophic explosion occurred when a truck transporting chemicals from the South-West to a northern state crashed into a fuel tanker, igniting an immediate firestorm.
One eyewitness, a driver who narrowly escaped the inferno, recounted the harrowing moment:
“My car was right behind the two vehicles that collided. When I saw what happened, I quickly reversed to avoid being caught in the fire. The accident was caused by reckless speeding—both drivers were trying to overtake each other, but I don’t understand why they were in such a rush.”
He further described the desperate attempts of the truck occupants to escape the fire.
“Immediately after the collision, I saw many people jumping off the truck carrying chemicals while it was still in motion. Some of them were severely injured. But I think the driver and one other person didn’t make it because the fire started instantly. The petrol tanker driver was also injured but managed to escape.”
While some residents claimed that two people lost their lives in the explosion, officials from the Kwara State Fire Service maintained that only one fatality had been confirmed.
“We have officially recorded one casualty. The body was found inside the truck carrying chemicals. It will be handed over to the appropriate authorities,” a fire service officer told SaharaReporters.
He added that investigations were ongoing to determine the precise cause of the accident and assess the extent of damages.
Explosion Captured on Video as Emergency Responders Struggle to Contain Disaster
The moment of the explosion was captured in a Facebook live video by a user, Orioye Chanter Ijobaibile, and monitored by SaharaReporters. The footage showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky as flames engulfed the accident site.
Orioye, who narrated the terrifying scene, expressed fears that other fuel-laden trucks passing dangerously close to the inferno could also ignite.
“People are trapped inside burning cars. What’s even more alarming is that many other fuel tankers are passing near the fire. This is extremely risky; they could also explode. We are just waiting for security operatives to arrive and stop them before another disaster happens,” he warned.
As of the time of filing this report, emergency responders were still working tirelessly to clear the wreckage and prevent further casualties.
This latest disaster in Kwara comes just weeks after a similar tragedy in Niger State, where at least 18 people perished in a fuel tanker explosion in the Bida area, with several vehicles and passengers consumed by the fire.
In another heartbreaking incident in October 2023, at least six people lost their lives in Jigawa State when a tanker explosion left many others with severe burns.
Fuel tanker explosions have become a recurring nightmare in Nigeria, often blamed on poor road conditions, reckless driving, and weak enforcement of safety regulations. Despite these frequent disasters, authorities have failed to implement stringent measures to prevent future occurrences, leaving lives and properties at continued risk.
As families mourn yet another preventable loss, Nigerians are once again left asking: When will these tragedies end?
PIONEER NEWS 