By John Ugo and Kamsi Anayo, Awka
The Anambra State Fire Service, on Tuesday, prevented the head office of the State Revenue Service House, and three petrol stations from a tanker fire.
The incident occured at Eze-Uzu immigration junction along the Awka-Onitsha-Enugu expressway in Awka the state capital.
Director of the state fire Service, Chief Engr. Martin Agbili, who led the safety operation, said the Revenue House, Opet Petrol Station, ABC Petrol Station and Juhel Petrol Station, would have been completely reduced to rubbles, but for the timely intervention of firefighters.
The team of fire fighters had quickly stormed the scene of the fire incident and quenched it.
Agbili in a statement on the fire incident, explained that the cause of the fire was due to overspeeding by a petrol ladened tanker which lost control and crashed at Immigration Junction and spilled its contents on the very busy junction and caught fire in the process.
He ssid, “At about 0607hrs (6:07am) of today Tuesday 15-11-2022, Anambra State Fire Service, received a distress call of a fallen petrol tanker fire of 45,000litres capacity. Immediately, our fearless and tireless Firefighters and firefighting truck to scene of fire led by Fire Chief Agbili Martin Agility.
“Place of Fire: Eze-Uzu Junction, Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Agu-Awka.
He stated that the “Cause of Fire was, “Over Speeding of the tanker driver, adding that items saved include three petrol filling stations within that axis were saved from fire.
Agbii commended the Nigerian Police Force, FRSC, Civil Defence, DSS etc, for their assistance.
According to him, “We were able to extinguish the fire with the mixture of chemical foam compound and water even as he stated that there was no loss of life.
” The driver and conductor of the tanker could not be found and probably, they were able to escape.
The firefighting operation was very successful as we fought the fire to standstill.
“Hon. Commissioner for Power and Water Resources , Engr. Julius Chukwuemeka was there from begining to the last Firefighting operation,” he added.
