Death toll rises in Anambra tanker fire

The death toll in the Anambra tanker fire has risen to seven, the police have said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the fire which started when a tanker carrying petrol fell at Amawbia Roundabout in Awka, the state capital, at about 10 p.m.

The petrol in the tanker also flowed freely through a drainage channel, spreading the fire further.

At least eight other vehicles were completely burnt by the fire which also damaged many buildings.

Hours after the fire, an official of the traffic agency said two deaths had been confirmed.

However, on Sunday morning, the Anambra police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, said the death toll has increased to seven.

“Out of the seven corpses confirmed dead, three are deposited at Amaku General Hospital Morgue, two at Regina Caeli Hospital and another two at Piston Hospital Morgue for postmortem examination,” he said.

By Sunday morning, the area was besieged by sympathisers and victims’ families, some of who came to identify their charred vehicles.

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A tricycle operator, Sunday Ugwu, said, “I was just driving through this road when the fire started yesterday night, so when I found out I could not escape with my keke, I parked it and ran away.”

Shop owners, whose building and wares were razed, were also seen at the site on Sunday morning crying profusely.