RESIDENTS of Omitowoju/Inalende area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital were yesterday evening thrown into deep anguish as fire razed about 50 houses as a fully-laden fuel tanker fell off the road and spilled its content.
The resulting fire rose to high heavens.The 33-litre tanker, whose driver was said to have attempted to turn towards Omitowoju Street from the St. Stephen area on Inalende Road, fell.
Its content flowed into the adjourning houses on the street.Nigerian Compass learnt that the driver took the densely- populated area due to the closure of the Dugbe/Mokola Road as a result of the ongoing construction of an overhead bridge in Mokola by the Abiola Ajimobi-led government.
As at press time, the streets around the area were seething with residents, many of whom had packed their property outside for fear of being caught in the inferno.
The residents wailed uncontrollably, many rolling on the ground seeing the extent of damage. Several women were seen, yelling, asking for the whereabouts of their children.
People were still seen drawing water from their wells and pouring it into the rooms accessible, while fire fighters were also battling the raging fire from the tanker.
Though nobody could ascertain whether anybody was caught in the fire, because eyewitnesses said that immediately the tanker burst into flames and the whole area was enveloped in thick black smoke, the residents of the area started trooping out to avoid being caught in their houses.
Men of the fire service from the Government Secretariat got to the place with two water tankers around 6.30 pm and were still battling the fire as at 8.15 p.m
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