Two people were confirmed dead after a tanker, suspected to be carrying Liquefied Natural Gas, exploded at the Obiri-Ikwerre flyover along the East-West Road on the outskirts of Port Harcourt in Rivers State.
Eyewitnesses reported that the explosion occurred around 9:25 am when the tanker overturned while attempting to negotiate the bypass at the flyover.
The tanker immediately caught fire, engulfing a nearby salon car with two occupants inside.
This incident follows a similar one last month when a fuel-laden tanker exploded along the Eleme axis of the East-West Road, resulting in five fatalities and over 60 cars being burnt.
In the latest explosion, an eyewitness said the two car occupants were trapped and unable to escape, leading to their deaths in the fire.
One witness, whose office is nearby, described the scene as horrific, noting, “Two persons inside a salon car parked nearby were burnt beyond recognition. The tanker was trying to negotiate through the flyover when it fell and the explosion occurred.”
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The Obiri-Ikwerre flyover leads to the Port Harcourt International Airport in Omagwa, located in the Ikwerre local government area of the state.
In related news, three people died in a car-truck collision in Lagos, seven were injured when a truck rammed into a BRT on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and seven died with 15 injured in a road crash in Oyo.
Another eyewitness, who gave his name as Lucky, described the panic the explosion caused in nearby residential areas.
“It was just past 9 am when I saw the flames while driving towards the University of Port Harcourt. I quickly made a U-turn. Many vehicles started detouring to avoid the fire, with some drivers even recording it on their phones,” he said.
State Police Command spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the incident and the casualties.
“Yes, I can confirm that two persons died in the tanker fire. The Commissioner of Police and I are on the scene as we speak. The fire has been extinguished, but the area remains dangerous due to gas leakage. Motorists are advised to take alternative routes to avoid further casualties. An investigation is ongoing,” she stated.
