Ondo Fuel Tanker Explosion: FRSC Gives Fresh Update On Casualties

The Ondo State command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has given a fresh update on the tragic fuel tanker explosion that happened in the Ore-Benin Expressway, Ore, in Odigbo Local government Area of Ondo State, on Sunday.

Naija News reported earlier that tragedy struck on Sunday when at least fifteen people were burnt to death after a tanker exploded in Ondo State.

Reports claimed that a spark started the fire from a phone held by one of the persons scooping fuel that spilt from the tanker.

Among the dead were three children and a pregnant.

Against the initial reports, however, FRSC, in a statement issued on Monday, said eight persons had been confirmed dead in the explosion.

While many were reported to have died from the Sunday evening incident, the Sector Commander of the FRSC in Ondo State, Ezekiel Son-Allah, said on Monday that the commission could only confirm eight casualties from the tragic incident.

Confirming the cause of the accident that led to the explosion, Son-Allah said the white fuel tanker with no registration number lost control due to overspending.

Son-Allah noted that following the development, some residents of the close by village stormed the scene and started scooping fuel spilt from the fallen tanker.

The FRSC boss, according to Channels Television, said the tanker and motor boy managed to escape from the scene unhurt.

He said the FRSC rescue team had deposited the remains of the victims at the morgue of the General Hospital in Ore.

Naija News understands that the Ondo fuel tanker explosion incident is the latest in petrol tanker explosions in Nigeria.

Explosions of such are frequent in the country and commonly happen when residents try to siphon off oil or petrol from pipelines or when tanker drivers crash on poorly maintained roads.

In June 2021, five people died, and 13 others were injured in Lagos when a tanker exploded because of gas leakage.

In April 2022, 12 people were killed, and dozens of houses burnt when a fuel tanker overturned, spilt its contents, and caught fire in central Nigeria’s Benue state.

In January of that same year, a tanker explosion in the southern city of Agbor claimed four lives and injured 11.