Rivers State Police Command has reported that three individuals died in a fuel tanker explosion that occurred on Tuesday.
The tragic incident took place when a tanker carrying petrol veered off the road, collided with a taxi, and erupted in flames at the Obiri Ikwerre flyover section of the East-West Road around 9:00 a.m.
Spokesperson for the command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, informed the News Agency of Nigeria in Port Harcourt that the car’s occupants were severely burnt and unidentifiable.
“I can confirm that three persons perished after a tanker carrying petrol fell on a commercial vehicle at the Obiri Ikwerre flyover stretch of the East-West Road.
“The Fire Service has successfully put out the fire, but the area has been cordoned off due to ongoing petrol leakage from the tanker.
“The Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, and I were on the ground earlier to assess the situation,” she stated.
Iringe-Koko also mentioned that traffic has been redirected to alternative routes to prevent further casualties.
Newsmen at the accident scene observed the charred remains of the vehicle and the victims.
The incident occurred a few kilometres from the Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the University of Port Harcourt.
The explosion resulted in a significant gridlock stretching several kilometres, affecting the road that connects to the N200 billion Ring Road project under construction by the Rivers Government.
An eyewitness, Ebiere Faith, recounted the explosion’s impact, noting that it was felt kilometres away from her office.
“Some individuals said that their glass windows were shattered due to the impact of the explosion,” she said.
