Many people are reportedly injured, as a petroleum tanker exploded at Ido Ekiti, in Ido/Osi Local government area of Ekiti state.
The accident happened along Ido Ekiti-Ifaki highway at about 9.30am as a result of brake failure.
Several houses located near the scene of the accident and motorcycles parked around the place were consumed in the inferno caused by the spilt fuel from the truck.
The intensity of the fire caused panic in the town as those living within the spot were said to have started evacuating their property from being burnt. The truck blocked the road and emitted thick smoke that caused tension in the area for hours.
The blockade of the road caused traffic jam while those travelling from Ifaki to Ido Ekiti were said to be taking a detour to prevent being caught in the web of fire outbreak that raged on before it was put out by men of the State fire services.
Those wounded have been taken to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti for medical treatment.
One of them was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit due to the severity of the injury sustained.
According to an eye witness account, the driver of the truck lost control when the brake failed and swerved off the road as he approached a sharp bend.
“The driver lost control and when it got to the road bend, it swerved off and somersaulted.
“Immediately this happened, the fuel spilt and caught fire which made those within the vicinity to scamper for safety.
“When it was obvious that people could no longer have the capacity to put the fire off, they made an emergency call to fire service which came with superior equipment to quench the inferno,” he said.
When contacted, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr Mohammed Olowo, said four persons have been rescued and taken to the hospital.
“The prompt action we took helped in reducing the severity of this fire. Though people were wounded no death was recorded.
“We worked with men of the fire services and we have been able to restore normalcy in terms of rescuing the victims and in ensuring a free flow of vehicles along that route,” he stated.