A joint team from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ENSEMA), and Federal Road Safety Corp. (FRSC) carried out a quick assessment in the wake of the tragic tanker fire explosion that happened on January 25, 2025, at the Ugwu Onyeama motorway in Enugu State. This was done to determine the cause and extent of the damage as well as the location of the affected individuals so that the proper actions could be taken to help them.
Findings from the assessment revealed that a truck carrying a full load of petroleum motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, suffered break failures when it could no longer move forward on an elevated area of the expressway and, in the process of its rolling back, crashed into roadside concrete and vehicles behind, spilt its product, and subsequently caught fire.
A total of 16 vehicles conveying 44 people were burnt. The tragic incident resulted in 18 people being burnt on the spot beyond recognition, 23 sustained various degrees of burns, and 3 persons did not sustain any injury. The injured victims have been moved to Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH) Parklane and the National Orthopaedic Hospital, all in Enugu.
While nine of them have been treated and discharged, six are still on admission at the orthopaedic hospital.
Most of the victims were travellers, as they are not from a particular community or state.
Meanwhile, the Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has sympathised with the victims of the fire explosion and commended the first responders for the timely evacuation of the affected persons to medical facilities. She has also directed the NEMA Enugu zonal office to work with relevant authorities for immediate delivery of necessary supports to the victims.
