Posted by By Eugene Agha on
Two persons were feared dead in Lagos early yesterday when a fuel tanker under repairs in Iganmu, near Ijora, exloded and went up in flame.
Two persons were feared dead in Lagos early yesterday when a fuel tanker under repairs in Iganmu, near Ijora, exloded and went up in flame.
The incident, involving the parked tanker, waiting to load at the Ijora petroleum products depot reportedly claimed the lives of the two persons, who were said to have been burnt beyond recognition, and had a section of the Lagos office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) razed down.
While it could not be ascertained if the two casualties were staff of NAN, eyewitnesses said the tanker was undergoing some form of servicing when it suddenly exloded and burst into flame. The other account stated that the person working on the tanker, who could not be immediately identified, was trying to open the tanker from a point at the top when it exploded and shattered him.
The resultant fire reportedly did extensive damage to properties in the area, including NAN, which did not only have its glasses shattered, but its entire computer department burnt before the fire service could move in to put it under control.
Contacted on phone last night, the Lagos State Police Command's Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Olubode Ojajuni, a Deputy Suprintendent of Police (DSP), who confirmed the incident, said no loss of life was recorded.
According to him, one person sustained fire burns and was receiving treatment in the hospital. Ojajuni also said the fire had been put under control and that all was now well in the area.