The tanker explosion that rocked the Eleme section of the East-West Road in Rivers State on Friday night resulted in the loss of five lives and the incineration of over 70 vehicles.
News About Nigeria reported that the incident occurred in the late hours of Friday, April 26, 2024, near the Indorama Petrochemical Company.
Confirming the casualty figure, Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the State Police Command, revealed that the Commissioner of Police and his team swiftly responded to the scene to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
“For now, about five people are dead. The Commissioner of Police and his team were on the ground last night to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order,” she said.
The aftermath of the explosion was captured in photographs and videos circulating on social media platforms.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as terrified people abandoned their vehicles to flee the raging inferno.
Egwunyenga Victor Ifechukwu, who managed to escape the blaze, shared footage showing up to 11 vehicles, including trucks, engulfed in flames.
Witnesses recounted how trucks carrying goods from the wharf, company staff buses, and commercial vehicles from neighbouring states were caught in the conflagration.
Many attributed the incident to the deplorable condition of the Eleme section of the East-West road, pointing fingers at the Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) for purportedly neglecting safety protocols during road construction.
The Government House in Port Harcourt revealed that Governor Siminalayi Fubara would visit the scene to assess the situation firsthand.
The State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, along with personnel from the Eleme Police Division and officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps, had been deployed to the site since the previous night to manage the crisis.
