A tragic road accident occurred on Sunday at Umuike Echem village in Nnobi, near the Nnokwa junction in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, claiming the life of one individual. The accident involved a tanker transporting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place as the driver of the fuel-laden tanker attempted to navigate a sharp bend in the area. Unfortunately, he lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and crash into a perimeter fence.
One witness recounted, “As the driver was negotiating the bend, the tanker lost balance and rammed into a wall. The impact caused the fuel to start leaking from the truck, posing a severe risk of a major fire outbreak.”
The tanker was reportedly carrying two occupants at the time of the crash—the driver and a conductor. The conductor was said to have been thrown off the vehicle during the incident and died instantly. The driver sustained injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is currently receiving medical attention.
Thanks to the swift response of the Anambra State Fire Service, a greater disaster was averted. Upon receiving the emergency call at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, the fire service promptly dispatched two firefighting crews from different stations, equipped with fire trucks and other essential equipment.
On arrival, the firefighters conducted a cooling operation to minimize the risk of combustion and successfully prevented the situation from escalating into an inferno.
According to a statement released on Monday by the Media and Publicity Unit of the State Fire Service, led by the State Fire Chief, Chukwudi Chiketa, the teams also managed to safely transload the remaining PMS into another tanker to ensure the area was secure. The firemen at the scene were led by PFS Dike, who coordinated the critical response efforts.
When a correspondent visited the location on Monday, it was observed that the site had been cordoned off by fire service personnel to restrict access to motorists and passersby, in order to prevent any further incidents.
In his official statement, Fire Chief Chiketa expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and extended sympathy to the injured driver and the owners of any affected property.
He reassured the public that the situation had been fully contained and urged everyone to go about their daily activities without fear.