A petrol tanker explosion rocked Sandaji Filling Station in Lafia, Nasarawa State on Monday, leaving six individuals with varying degrees of injuries.
The incident occurred around noon as the tanker was in the process of unloading petroleum products.
Comfort Igwe, a pump attendant at the station, recounted the horrifying moment, saying, “The explosion occurred suddenly while the tanker was discharging its product.”
“It took the intervention of men from the fire service, in collaboration with the Red Cross Society, police, and other security agencies, to extinguish the flames and restore normalcy to the area,” she added.
The explosion not only resulted in injuries but also caused extensive damage to property worth millions of naira at the filling station, according to eyewitnesses.
Several staff members of the filling station and officials from the Nasarawa State Fire Service suffered injuries during the incident.
They are currently undergoing treatment at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia.
The Acting Director of the Nasarawa State Fire Service, Mr. Ombugu Joshua, stated that the cause of the explosion remains unknown, while emphasising the importance of prompt reporting of fire incidents.
He said, “We are yet to ascertain the cause of the outbreak. We advise residents to always alert the service on time whenever they experience a fire outbreak for a prompt response.”
