.As Tinubu, Mbah, Kalu, IPMAN others seek end to tanker explosions, condoles Enugu victims’ families
.Call for road repairs
Cosmas Chukwu, Enugu, Ignatius Okorocha, Abuja
The death toll in a fuel tanker explosion on the Ugwu-Onyeama Area of Enugu State on Saturday, January 25, has reached 18.
The explosion occurred around 11:30am when a fuel-laden tanker exploded while navigating the busy expressway.
Witnesses described the blast as devastating as it destroyed nearby vehicles and caused widespread panic.
The increase in the death toll was confirmed by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Sunday.
The Sector Commander of the FRSC, Enugu State Command, Mr Franklin Agbakoba, confirmed the rise in the death toll to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Sunday.
Rescue efforts were hindered by the intensity of the fire, making it difficult for bystanders to access the scene.
Victims who were reportedly burnt beyond recognition were believed to be occupants of the vehicles caught in the inferno.
In his reaction, President Bola Tinubu has condoled with the government and the people of Enugu state over the explosion.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The statement read, “President Tinubu commiserates with the families of the deceased and the injured and prays for the repose of the souls of the departed and quick recovery for those receiving medical treatment.
The President called for caution and adherence to safety measures among road users, particularly fuel tanker operators.
Furthermore, the President directed agencies in charge of enforcing traffic rules to implement measures to prevent recurring fuel tanker explosions nationwide.
Similarly, The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called on relevant agencies of government to prioritise the safety of lives in the event of accidents or occupational hazards.
He gave the advice against the backdrop of Saturday’s tanker explosion in Enugu which led to the death of about 18 persons and injuries to scores of others in Enugu State.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, on the 9th Mile 82 Division Expressway, Ugwuonyeama section, when a tanker conveying petrol collided with some vehicles and erupted in flames, killing about 18 persons.
The Deputy Speaker, in a statement on Sunday by his special assistant, Print Affairs, Udora Orizu, condoled the families of the victims as well as the government and people of Enugu State, praying to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.
He sadly recalled a similar incident that recently happened in Niger State, urging the federal government to urgently direct relevant authorities to complete the rehabilitation of the road and others to forestall further occurrences.
The Deputy Speaker stressed the need for relevant authorities to provide safety measures and educate citizens to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Wishing the injured a quick recovery, Kalu also urged the relevant government agencies to provide relief materials to the bereaved, adding that the National Assembly will continue to support the Federal Government through budgetary allocation and legislative instruments.
He said, “I’m deeply saddened by the news of a fuel tanker explosion in Enugu State yesterday (Saturday) that caused the death of several people, with many also injured. This horrific incident happened just days after another tanker exploded in Niger State with over 80 people killed.
“I’m deeply concerned that this is one death too many. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families as well as the government and the people of Enugu State.
“I also want to use this opportunity to urge the Federal Government to take immediate action of addressing the deplorable state of our roads especially the 9th mile expressway, provide safety measures and educate citizens to help prevent such tragedies in the future. It’s our responsibility to act now and protect ourselves.”
On his part, Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has expressed sadness over the incident.
The governor, who was at the scene of the accident for on-the-spot assessment, said the government had already swung into action to ensure that the victims received full medical attention, while also taking steps to forestall future occurrences, including enforcement of road rules and fixing the part of the federal road that was in disrepair.
Describing the accident as unfortunate, Mbah commiserated with the families of the victims.
He further directed the Federal Road Safety Commission’s Sector Commander, Enugu, Mr Franklin Agbakoba, and the State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Obi Ozor, to ensure that all tankers conveying inflammable substances in the state have anti-spill lock that will prevent spill in case of accident.
“This is an accident involving a tanker that preliminary investigation shows, may have had a break failure, fell down, had its product, premium motor spirit spilled from the tank and ignited. So, this is for us a tragedy where we have some casualties.
“But as I said, investigation is still at preliminary stages. The police and other law enforcement agencies are on it. We want to get to the root of this for us to understand the true cause of the accident.
“In the meantime, we have moved those that are in need of treatment to the hospitals for full medical attention. My Commissioner for Health and also my Special Adviser on Health, the Chief Medical Director of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUTTH), Parklane, Enugu, the police, and Federal Road Safety Corps are all involved. They have my instruction to ensure that maximum medical attentions are given to the survivors,” the governor stated.
Continuing, he stated, “But we’re also taking quick measures as a government. I have just been speaking to the head of the Federal Road Safety Corps to make sure they enforce the rules that prohibit tanker drivers from the road without an anti-spill lock. Tankers conveying premium spirit and inflammable products must have an anti-spill lock to ensure that when these trucks fall down, they do not spill. It is very important.
“Also, for us as a government, we are going to be looking at how we can deploy some traffic rules to ensure that we do not have a recurrence of this.
“We are obviously not going to wait for the federal government to fix the other section of the road. We as government are going to take steps to ensure that whatever needs to be done on that section of the federal road is done immediately so we would never have a reoccurrence of this.”
While briefing the governor on some of the preliminary investigation conducted by the FRSC Sector Commander for Enugu explained that the tanker spill was as a result of a brake failure by the fuel tanker.
He added that 11 people lost their lives at the scene, while identified injured road users were rushed to the hospital for treatment and thanked the governor for showing leadership by rushing to the scene and equally undertaking to foot the medical bills.
Meanwhile, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has decried the spate of road traffic crashes involving fuel-laden tankers in Nigeria.
Mr Chinedu Anyaso, Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot Community, expressed the worry in an interview with journalists in Awka on Sunday while reacting to the ghastly tanker accident at Ugwu-Onyeama axis of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that an Enugu bound petroleum-laden tanker lost control and rammed into other vehicles before going up in flames on Saturday.
Several persons were feared killed in the accident with about 17 vehicles being involved and 11 vehicles reportedly burnt.
Anyaso said that the loss of lives and property associated with petrol tanker accident was colossal and required collective action to address urgently.
He commiserated with families of the deceased and owners of destroyed property; while praying for repose of the souls of the dead.
“On behalf of marketers in South-East, especially those attached to Enugu Depot, I want to express our deep sadness over the tanker explosion which occurred at Ugwu-Onyeama on Saturday.
“We are worried about this type of accident because of the heavy loss in terms of human lives and property that goes with it, just last June, we had a similar incident which also claimed lives and property.
“It is loss to families, loss to businesses of our members, loss to the general public and the entire economy, this is why we are calling for a multi stakeholders approach to solving the problem of incessant tanker accident.
“We want to condole with families of the bereaved and those who suffered losses in the accident just as we pray that God will grant the souls of those that died, eternal rest,” he said.
Anyaso called on the governors of South-East States to create tanker parks where drivers could stay and break their journeys to prevent crashes caused by fatigue; while calling on tanker drivers’ unions to strengthen safety compliance.
He said the use of foreign anti spill cover/manhole should be mandatory for all tankers to prevent spilling of product in the event that a loaded truck fell.
“We need all stakeholders in the road transport sector including FRSC, NUPENG, VIO to rally together and enhance safety measures, we also need motorable roads to reduce tanker fall.
“Government can also begin to think about alternatives to road as a means of transporting petroleum products because the hazard on roads is becoming unbearable,” he said.South East Senators Mourn Victims
Also, the South East Senate Caucus on Sunday expressed shock and sorrow over the multiple deaths caused by a fallen petrol tanker in Ugwu Onyema in Enugu.
The caucus, which also expressed sadness over similar occurrence in Niger State last weekend said through a statement by its leader , Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Sunday in Abuja, that the unfortunate incident has become one too many.
He said, it is disheartening that Nigerians were being literarily roasted on the roads as a result of avoidable accidents and called on the relevant authorities to deploy immediately to nip future occurrences in the bud.
The caucus he added is pained that innocent people, particularly road users are now frequently caught up in an accident that smacks of total neglect of the nation’s highways by traffic managers.
“It’s sorrowful and very unfortunate that we will loose many of our people, whose total number is yet to be ascertained barely a week after similar incident in Niger State, which pain and shock Nigeria is yet to recover from.
“It is high time the traffic managers step up their game. The frequency of this accidents now constitutes a total embarrassment to the country. We can’t continue loosing our people this way”, Abaribe said.
However, he extends the caucus’s condolences to the victims families, the governor, government and people of Enugu State.