A potentially devastating tanker explosion was averted in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Thursday following the swift intervention of the Mayor of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Chief Emeka Orji.
The incident occurred opposite Toronto Hospital along the Onitsha-Awka Expressway when a 40-foot tanker loaded with petroleum products reportedly lost control while attempting to negotiate its way onto the major road.
The tanker subsequently crashed and overturned, raising fears of a possible explosion and triggering panic among traders, motorists and other residents in the area.
Responding to the emergency, Mayor Orji immediately directed personnel of the newly commissioned fire service station in Fegge to move to the scene.
The firefighters reportedly arrived promptly and took measures that prevented the situation from escalating into a major disaster.
An eyewitness said many traders were just arriving to open their shops when the incident occurred.
“Most people were still coming to open their shops when it happened, and there was a stampede because we were expecting an explosion. But God saved us,” the eyewitness said.
Some commercial tricycle operators at the scene also said vehicles carrying commuters had passed the location shortly before the tanker overturned.
They noted that the consequences could have been much worse if the vehicles had still been at the spot when the accident occurred.
Speaking on the incident, Orji described the successful intervention as an act of God and said it marked the first major emergency response by the Fegge fire station since its commissioning.
According to him, the establishment of the facility was necessary because Onitsha had previously lacked a functional firefighting station capable of responding quickly to emergencies within the city.
Orji recalled that the local government had to recover government land previously occupied by private interests before the fire station could be constructed.
He said the decision to establish the facility had now proved worthwhile, as emergency responders would otherwise have had to wait for assistance from Awka or neighbouring Asaba in Delta State.
The mayor commended the firefighters for their prompt response and expressed appreciation to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for supporting the local government in making the fire station operational.
He said the incident demonstrated the importance of having emergency-response facilities located close to areas with heavy commercial and vehicular activities.
The mayor added that the fire station would continue to serve residents and businesses in Onitsha South by providing timely intervention during emergencies.
