Two individuals sustained injuries during a fire incident that occurred at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the Nine Energies Fuel Station in Asero, Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.
According to an eyewitness who preferred to remain anonymous, the fire erupted while a tanker was in the process of offloading diesel. Although the source initially mentioned that the driver of the tanker and his assistant were feared dead, authorities later clarified that they had sustained injuries.
Upon visiting the station, our correspondent observed the burnt tanker, along with the presence of officials from the Ogun State Fire Service, some police officers, and members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
According to the source, "The fire started around 10 a.m, and we just saw thick smoke emanating from the filling station."
"We later found out that the fire began when a tanker was transferring diesel into another tanker. It was the receiving tanker that caught fire, while the one delivering the diesel quickly left to avoid being engulfed. The two individuals inside the receiving tanker, however, suffered severe burns and were rushed to the hospital," the source explained.
The Director of the Ogun State Fire Service, Fatai Adefala, confirmed the incident but clarified that those involved in the fire only sustained minor injuries and were promptly taken to the hospital. He stated, "Only one tanker was involved, and the fire started when the tanker was about to dispense the diesel into an underground tank. The pumping machine ignited the fire, and the two injured individuals only suffered minor injuries and were taken to the state hospital."
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola, also confirmed the incident but noted that she could not confirm whether there were any casualties.
