Tragedy as Tanker Explosion Claims 5 Lives, Over 70 Vehicles Burnt In Rivers

Voice Air Media, News Update

Five people were reportedly burnt to death and over 70 vehicles including heavy-duty trucks destroyed during a multiple explosion at the Eleme section of the East-West Road in Rivers State on Friday night.

The spokesperson for theRivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, told journalists on Saturday, that five people have been confirmed dead.

She added that the Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, and his team were on the ground last night to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.

A tanker laden with petroleum products was said to have exploded and busted into flames, affecting other vehicles in the area known for its gridlock.

According to reports, the incident happened at about 9:15pm adjacent to the Indorama Petrochemical Company located along the Akpojo-Onne axis of the East-West Road.

A source living in Akpajo, Eleme LGA said he heard a deafening sound twice from his residence with accompanying voices suggesting something sinister.

The source said, “I heard a very loud sound about 20 minutes ago, and people were shouting.

“The sound came from the Petro-Chemical company area. So when I came out I saw a tick smoke with fire from a distance.”

Following the incident, it was gathered that hundreds of travellers and passengers were stranded as the road leads to Akwa Ibom, Cross River and others.

However, motorists plying the route have blamed the incident on a construction firm handling the east-west road project.

A motorist who regularly plied the route blamed the construction firm for the accident.

The source who identified himself as Jacob said the inability of the construction firm to provide an alternative route was responsible for the accident.

“The construction company would have provided an alternative route to divert traffic from the construction site. The major cause of heavy traffic gridlock witnessed on the road was as a result of the construction work going on there.

“If they had provided an alternative route, we would not have witnessed the kind of traffic of this nature there and this incident would have been averted,” he said.

A victim of the incident who lost two of his properties along the stretch of the road said that they were collating data on the victims of the incident.

The victim who pleaded anonymity said that the victims of the incident would take legal action against the construction firm.