A man and a dog died on Friday morning in a fire that occurred along the Oko-Olowo-Jebba road in Kwara State after a petrol tanker and an articulated truck clashed.
The driver of the articulated truck, Wasiu, who died in the accident.
The accident happened at about 20:27 hours along the Oko-Olowo-Jebba highway at Iyemaja Village.
In a statement released by the state fire department spokesman, Hassan Adekunle, in Ilorin on Friday, “the petrol tanker was carrying 33,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), while the articulated truck driven by one Wasiu, was loaded with fertilizer.”
He said “upon arrival, firefighters immediately took action to contain the fire and prevent further damage, adding that their swift intervention ensured that the fertilizer cargo was salvaged.
“Preliminary investigations indicated that the incident occurred when the articulated truck attempted to overtake the petrol tanker.
“In the process, it struck the rear of the tanker, causing a fuel spill that ignited fire, tragically, the driver of the articulated truck who was trapped, lost his life.”
Director of the Kwara State Fire Service Prince Falade John Olumuyiwa, urged all road users to exercise patience, adhere to safety precautions, and prioritize road safety to prevent such devastating incidents.
