UPDATED: Two confirmed dead in Ibadan petrol tanker explosion

The police have confirmed two persons dead in a petrol tanker explosion on Thursday at Sawmill/Onipepeye area of the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.

The tanker fell at about 2 p.m. while trying to overtake a Nissan Micra car.

“After the petrol tanker fell, some persons went there trying to scoop petrol before the tanker exploded,” a witness who identified himself as Saheed told PREMIUM TIMES

Another witness, Rauf Ajayi, said due to the lateness of firefighters at arriving at the scene, the fire spread and engulfed some houses.

“At least two people have been confirmed dead in the incident. The accident happened around 2 p.m, but it was around 2:45 pm before firefighters came.

“After the tanker fell, people were supposed to run but some decided to move closer and while trying to scoop petrol, the tanker exploded,” Mr Ajayi said.

Another witness, Kazeem Olawoyin, said “seven okada and eight other vehicles were affected.”

The state spokesperson of the police, Olugbenga Fadeyi, did not respond when PREMIUM TIMES made a call to his phone line.

Mr Fadeyi, however, told the News Agency of Nigeria that two people lost their lives in the incident.

Mr Fadeyi said four vehicles and two motorcycles were also burnt.

Read our earlier story below
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A petrol tanker has exploded at Sawmill/Onipepeye area of Ibadan-Lagos Express, a witness told PREMIUM TIMES.

A witness who simply identified himself as Saheed told PREMIUM TIMES that many people died in the accident.

“After the petrol tanker fell, some persons went there trying to scoop petrol before the tanker exploded,” he said.

It was gathered that properties such as cars and houses within the environment were caught in the fire.

Meanwhile, neither the fire service nor road safety personnel was seen at the scene as at the time of this report.

Details later…