In a swift response to a fire emergency on December 30, 2023, the Kwara State Fire Service successfully averted a major tragedy in the Idi-Ape area of Ilorin, Kwara State, following the explosion of a diesel tanker.
Punch reported that, the tanker carrying 22,000 litres of fuel and destined for Ajegunle in the Magaji Are Quarters, caught fire while en route, leading to a prompt and coordinated effort by the fire service.
The Head of Media and Publicity for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, reported that the incident occurred around 10:47 a.m.
The firefighters, equipped with their firefighting appliances, quickly arrived at the scene to tackle the blazing diesel tanker with the registration number MUS 916 YF. The tanker, engulfed in flames, caused damage to two shops and a football viewing center in the vicinity.
Adekunle stated: “After a relentless hour of collective effort, the dedicated team successfully extinguished the raging fire. Unfortunately, the ensuing fire resulted in damage to two shops and a football viewing centre.” The estimated property saved in the incident was reported to be N145.2 million, while the total estimated property lost amounted to N34.6 million.
The investigation conducted by the Kwara State Fire Service claims that, the fire originated from the pumping machine used to siphon diesel for the ‘Collo site’ mast, which serves all networks. The tanker driver disclosed this information to the fire service team during the investigation.
The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Falade Olumuyiwa, commended the community for their cooperation, emphasizing the crucial role it played in enabling the firemen to efficiently overcome the challenging situation.
He urged the public to always play safe, especially during this period, and not to hesitate to call fire brigade men on time whenever there was any fire emergency in their areas, as this would save lives and properties of people in the state.
