At Passa village along the Ilorin-Ogbomoso Expressway, the Kwara State Fire Service intervened to stop villagers from attempting to scoop up 33,000 litres of spilled petrol from a fallen truck.
Reports indicate that a truck with the license plate SAP 920 YK overturned, causing the petrol to spill onto the road, prompting villagers to gather with the intention of collecting the fuel.
Head of Media and Publicity for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, mentioned that firefighters, in collaboration with officers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the police, successfully prevented the villagers from accessing the fuel.
According to Adekunle, “On Friday, April 19, 2024, at 12:33 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service quickly responded to a distress call regarding a tanker spill at Passa, Eyenkorin expressway along Oko Olowo, Asa Local Government. The involved tanker bore the registration number SAP 920 YK.
“The dedicated firefighters from the Kwara State Fire Service promptly drenched the area and the tanker to mitigate the risk of fire. “Despite the imminent danger, a group of individuals in the vicinity were prepared to illegally siphon the petrol.
“Fortunately, thanks to the timely intervention of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police, alongside the Fire Service, the situation was brought under control.
“Through coordinated efforts and cooperation, the petrol was safely transferred to another empty tanker, while security personnel remained vigilant at the scene.”
Adekunle expressed gratitude on behalf of the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Falade John, to the NSCDC and the Nigeria Police for their valuable support, which enabled the Fire Service to carry out its duties effectively and unhindered.
In a similar incident reported by NewsNow in November 2022, the Kwara State Fire Service averted a potential explosion involving two petrol tankers carrying 66,000 litres of fuel during an accident along the Ilorin-Jebba road in Kwara State.
Adekunle, in a statement, indicated that the two petrol tankers with registration numbers WSE163XA and FGF372ZS collided head-on in the accident at Kambi-Oloru on the Ilorin-Jebba Expressway.