How a tanker laden with petrol, exploded in Anambra State

A tanker laden with substance suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, has exploded in Anambra State.

According to reports, the incident occurred on Friday morning at the Upper Iweka junction of Onitsha – the state’s commercial hub.

The South-East Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Major Eze, also confirmed the explosion to newsmen. He explained that the tanker fell on the road, after which it exploded as a result of the fire from a woman frying Akara on the roadside.

Although Eze said the number of casualties from the explosion cannot be immediately confirmed, he stressed that the situation has been brought under control.

The affected tanker fell along a deplorable road section of the busy Onitsha-Owerri Road – not too far from the popular Relief Market at Onitsha in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.

The fire is said to have spread to several shops and residential buildings very close to the scene of the accident, as firefighters from Anambra and neighbouring Delta State battle the inferno.

The incident caused a gridlock in the area, leaving many commuters travelling in and out of Onitsha stranded.

In videos trending on social media, a crowd of onlookers watches as the raging fire wreaks havoc on properties while others salvage their goods from destruction.