Following a tanker explosion on Sunday that burned two petrol filling stations along the Onitsha-Enugu-Awka Road, there is tangible tension in Onitsha.

Residents of the area called for help, and men from the Anambra State Fire Service responded, putting out the fire before it spread to two other filling stations in the area: Rain Oil and JI Edison Oil.

Our correspondent learned from eyewitnesses that the explosion occurred around 8 p.m. with a thunderous noise.

The fire also burned about 15 vehicles at a mechanic business near the fueling stations.

Although several of the residential structures near the filling station had burned down, with residents hauling out their things and scampering to escape, it was not obvious if there had been any human casualties at the time of reporting this story.

As personnel of the safety and firefighters tried to retrieve the remains of the destroyed properties, significant traffic was created on the busy route.

“We were in the house this evening and suddenly we heard a loud noise like a thunder and when we came out, thick smoke had enveloped the whole vicinity and everybody started running here and there,” said an eyewitness and also a fire victim who was shaking and did not provide his name.

Residents of Omagba Phase One, Onitsha, were thrown by the incident, with some of them observed fleeing to unknown locations.

Calls to the Police Public Relations Officer for a response were not returned, and he did not respond to messages left on his phone as of the filing of this article.

“At about 19:30hours today, a tanker laden with Premium Motor Spirit exploded at Chris-Tee filling station near Boromio Roundabout, Onitsha,” said Margaret Onabe, Anambra State Ag. Sector Public Education Officer, FRSC, who came on the scene with a team of the Corps.

“Men of the Fire Service and FRSC Rescue Team are on the ground working very hard to curtail the inferno. We implore the public to be calm and patient, while the fire service battle the Fire and prevent its escalation.

“According to an eye witness report, the fire started at Christee Gas plant and spread over to the two other nearby filling stations.
“The fire is still ongoing but the fire service is on top of the situation working assiduously to put off the fire. However, the total damage and casualties have yet to be ascertained, as the fire is still burning.”