Tanker Explosion Kills Six People In Cross River State

-Another petrol tanker explosion occurs along Calabar-Ikom highway in Cross River State.

-Three soldiers who allegedly tried rescuing victims also lost their lives to the inferno which resulted.

Tanker explosion claims six lives in Cross River.

Three Soldiers were among six persons who reportedly lost their lives in a fire incident which resulted from the explosion of a petroleum tanker crash in Iwuru in Biase Local Government Area, central district of Cross River State on Wednesday night.

The incident which occurred along the Calabar – Ikom highway, seventy kilometres away from Calabar, Vanguard reports according to an eye witness identified as Agnes happened when a break failure forced the driver to try and maneuver so as to avoid collision with oncoming vehicles,  caused the tanker to upturn.

A group of soldiers who according to Agnes were travelling in opposite direction when the accident occurred, stopped their vehicle and made an attempt to rescue the driver and the conductor of the tanker but the tanker exploded in the process and overpowered them.

“When the tanker fell into the gutter, smoke started coming out and the soldiers who were in a vehicle heading to Calabar quickly stopped their van and went to rescue the driver and the conductor but suddenly the taker burst into flames and they were caught in the fire” Agnes said.

She said three of the soldiers were trapped in the inferno while one managed to escape with severe burns and was rushed to the Akamkpa General Hospital for medical attention.

The Cross River incident is similar to another petroleum tanker explosion which destroyed up to 21 vehicles in the Festac area of Lagos state.