Mr. Bright Edafe, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the fatalities and disclosed that two tankers and five trailers were among the vehicles consumed by the raging inferno.
Edafe stated, “In the fire incident that occurred, we recorded five deaths, eight buses, two tankers, five trailers, two cars, and one motorcycle were burnt completely.”
A local resident named Moses, who was present at the scene, recounted to the Vanguard that a group of individuals had rushed to the fallen tanker to collect spilled petrol when the fire suddenly erupted, claiming the lives of at least five people.
The Ologbo stretch of the Sapele-Benin road has been a source of anguish for travelers since the onset of the rainy season this year. Travelers frequently find themselves stranded for hours, and sometimes even an entire day, due to the deplorable condition of the road. Numerous appeals have been made to the Federal Government to promptly repair the dilapidated portions of the road, thereby putting an end to the annual ordeal faced by travelers during the rainy season.
Meanwhile, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State expressed deep sorrow over the tanker explosion that resulted in casualties at Koko junction along the Warri-Benin expressway. He attributed the incident to the poor state of federal roads.
In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Festus Ahon, Governor Oborevwori extended his condolences to the families of the victims who lost their lives in the tragedy. He called on the Federal Government to expedite the reconstruction of the deteriorated sections of the road.
Governor Oborevwori also cautioned against the hazardous practice of siphoning fuel from a fallen tanker due to the highly flammable nature of the substance.
Furthermore, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wale Abass, expressed condolences to the families of the five victims who lost their lives in the fire explosion. He explained that the incident occurred when a tanker transporting PMS fell at Ugbenu Koko Junction along the Warri-Benin Road, the spilled fuel attracted local youths who were collecting it when an explosion occurred, engulfing the entire area in flames.
