A heavy-duty fuel tanker exploded on Sunday night while offloading its content at a fuel station, sparking fears of major casualties.
The station, reportedly owned by a major marketer, is located just a few meters from the ‘B’ Division of the Nigeria Police in Kontagora, Kontagora Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses stated that the explosion occurred during the offloading of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, leading to a massive inferno.
Reports indicate that other fuel storage tanks at the station still contained fuel at the time of the incident, raising concerns about a possible escalation of the disaster.
The Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Kuma Tsukwam, stated on Monday that his team successfully contained the explosion, preventing any loss of human lives.
“Yes, our people were able to nip it in the bud. It happened in the petrol station. They cordoned off the area, so there was no casualty.
“There was no casualty, but it burst into flames. I think this was their lack of safety measures and safety valves, but we were able to cordoned off the area. It was inside the petrol station, and they drove all passersby and vehicles from entering the station. Yes, it happened.
“Our major concern was that there was no casualty. They must maintain their safety precautions; it is inevitable,” he said.
