At least 11 people lost their lives while
several others sustained varying degrees of burns after a tanker laden
with petrol burst in flames around Molete Market, Ibadan, the Oyo State
capital.
An employee of the Nigerian Tribune,
Mr. Samson Oyewole, and an eight year-old girl were among the victims
of the fire which burnt 45 shops at the market on Saturday night.
When our correspondent visited the scene
on Sunday morning, the police and other security agents in large numbers
were seen restoring order while men of the Oyo State Fire Service
Department were trying to evacuate the fallen tanker and other vehicles
affected.
Eyewitnesses said the Saturday fire
started when a truck carrying fuel fell at the busy Molete roundabout,
burst in flames, consuming 13 vehicles, three houses, seven commercial
motorcycles, three commercial tricycles and goods worth millions of
naira. Most of the deaths recorded were roadside traders.
Public Relations Officer, University
College Hospital, Ibadan, Ayodeji Bobade, told our correspondent that
apart from the eight-year-old girl that was rushed to the hospital,
having suffered a high degree of burns, six other males and four females
were also brought to the teaching hospital late on Saturday in severe
condition, with one of them confirmed dead.
He said, “Eleven people were brought here
with a girl, all suffering from severe burns. One of them died over
night while others are receiving treatment at the burns unit of the
hospital.”
The Iyaloja of Molete Market, Alhaja
Iswat Oyinlola, told our correspondent that but for the river behind the
market, which absolved more than half of the fuel that spilled from the
tanker, more deaths would have been recorded.
She said, “I was already at home around
10pm when I got the message that a petrol tanker fell at Molete
roundabout and spilled its content, causing a huge fire. By the time I
got to the market, the fire had spread. If not for the river behind the
market, the fuel would have flooded the whole neighbourhood and caused
more death because it happened when many people were retiring to their
beds.
“I discovered that 13 vehicles, seven
commercial motorcycles and three commercial tricycles were burnt, 10
people were killed and 45 shops were affected. We don’t know the actual
number of those who died in the inferno but from the list I have with
me, 10 people were confirmed dead. Others were taken to the hospital.”
Oyinlola added that Governor Abiola Ajimobi was at the scene early in the morning where he expressed sympathy at the huge loss.
While blaming commercial bus drivers at
the scene of the tragedy for the accident, Oyinlola called on the police
to enforce traffic law in the area.
“Commercial bus drivers who have turned
the roundabout to their park, thereby causing huge traffic around the
area, caused the accident. From what I learnt, the truck was unable to
negotiate the bend smoothly, and because it had a full load of fuel in
its tanker, it lost control and fell.
“We appeal to the police to do their work
without sentiment. They should ensure that the drivers don’t pick up
their passengers by the roundabout. This will ease the traffic around
the area and avert disaster.”
Among the dead was a man who was caught
in the fire after leaving a drug store overlooking the overhead bridge.
The owner of the pharmacy store, Chigozie Eze, narrated how he lost
everything to the fire.
He said, “The driver was trying to steer
the vehicle away from a pothole at the roundabout and at the same time
making attempts not to collide with the commercial busses at the area
when it fell. The content spilled and exploded. My brother and another
person escaped through the back door but we lost everything.
“I had more than N400,000 in the shop but
it was burnt to ashes. A customer who just bought drugs was caught in
the fire, he died immediately. I don’t know where to start again.”
Mr. Ahmed Adeoye, who said he had a store
full of building materials and house accessories in the market, said he
suffered a huge loss. He said many of the people who died were roadside
traders who refused to obey the government order.
“The fire gutted everything I had in my
shop including money. I cannot quantify the amount I lost accurately but
it is over N2m. Thank God no one sustained injury in my shop but many
roadside traders lost their lives and goods in the fire. I counted about
15 bodies very late in the night when the fire subsided.”