The Delta State Police Command, CP Wale Abass has extended his condolence to the families of those who lost their lives at the Ugbenu Koko Junction fire incident where a tanker laden with PMS being driven towards Benin along Warri – Benin Road fell down.
A statement on Sunday, 1st October 2023 signed by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP. Edafe Bright said that the CP further expressed his displeasure in the inexorable perversity of Nigerians, especially the youths.
The Police Commissioner stated, “It is sad that we never learn from past occurrences, since this isn’t the first time such an incident has happened.
He appealed to Nigerians to do away with greed and avoid scenes where there is an occurrence of oil spillages as it poses a serious threat to their lives and the lives of others.
Recall that in the early hours of today, 1st October 2023, a tragic incident where a tanker laden with PMS being driven towards Benin along Warri – Benin Road fell down upon getting to Ugbenu Koko Junction. Its content spilled into the nearby swamp, and the spillage attracted a couple of youths who took advantage of the incident and started scooping the fuel into jerry cans and other containers.
While they were at it, an explosion erupted and the fire from the explosion engulfed the whole area.
The fire claimed the lives of five persons among the youths who had come to scoop the spilled fuel and also combusted several properties including the following: the fallen tanker, Eight buses of different makes, Two Tankers, Five Trailers, Two Motorcycles, One Siena space bus, and one ‘C’ Class Mercedes Benz car. Due to the fire, the registration numbers of all these affected vehicles were not clearly visible.
At the event of this outburst, the scene was visited, and the bodies of the victims were evacuated to Oghara General Hospital’s mortuary. In a bid to clear the road of obstructions efforts are being made by the men of Oghara Police Division, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission at Ethiope West LGA to ensure the free flow of traffic.
CP Wale Abass appreciated the Federal Road safety for working hand in hand with the Command to ensure convenience to all road users in Delta State.
