Anambra tanker explosion: 17 shops razed

An petroleum tanker laden with 33,000 litres of fuel, yesterday crashed into Nkwo Ogidi Market in Idemili North Local Government Area, burst into flames and razed about 17 shops with goods worth millions of naira destroyed.

An eyewitness, Chukwudi Arinze told Daily Sun that the vehicle, at about 11:00am  was climbing the steeply section of the Chinua Achebe Bye Pass, from the expressway through the International Building  Materials Market but couldn’t get  to Ugwunwasike Roundabout before the vehicle started rolling backwards.

The source said when the tanker fell in the front shops in the market, the contents spilled into the adjoining routes behind the market and people began to scoop fuel from the scene before the tanker exploded and the  whole place burst into flames.

Ogbuli Oby , a fire officer from the state fire service  said their team responded immediately with the first fire truck stationed at the nearby building material market and also called for reinforcement from Onitsha Main Market and Okpoko,  but the contents from the three trucks were dispensed while  the fire kept on  raging.

Line Chairman of the market, Valentine Nwabufo Okonkwo said he received a distress call over the incident but when he  got to  the market, thick billows of smoke had already covered the entire area. He said 17 shops were destroyed completely while goods stocked by the owners who deal on different products have been damaged.