A potential fire explosion has been averted after a crash involving a gas tanker and a saloon car in the Abuja city centre claimed two lives and left four persons badly injured in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The road accident which occurred at the Church Gate flyover, Central Area, Abuja was caused by over speeding and loss of control, according to FCT Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samuel Ochi.

Mr Ochi said that the crash which occurred at around 1:30 a.m. involved an LPG laden tanker truck with three passengers and a Golf car also with three passengers.

“A witness report reaching us indicates that the driver of the tanker laden with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) (Cooking Gas) en route Abuja from Lagos, had a collision with a Golf car,” he said.

Team leader of the Federal Fire Service, Wuse Command, Usman Hammed, said that the tanker fell off its head when the driver lost control, in his bid to avoid the car, adding that the gas-laden tanker was hanging on the retaining wall of the flyover.

Similarly, Frank Onuorah, Zonal Commander City Operations, FCT Fire Service, said his team was able to avert a potentially explosive inferno from the accident scene which was a stone throw from the NNPC Mega Station and two other filling stations. 

He noted that the area was cordoned off and the debris successfully evacuated during the 13-hour operation.

“A total of six persons were involved in the crash, comprising three in each of the vehicles.

“Four of them including the driver of the tanker sustained some degree of injuries and were taken to Wuse General Hospital by the FRSC rescue team from FCT Command.

“Two male adults, who were passengers in the gas tanker truck, were, however, confirmed dead and their bodies had been deposited at the mortuary,” said the Mr Ochi, the road safety boss.

He said that the obstruction on Olusegun Obasanjo way (from Garki to Wuse), and Constitution Avenue at Centre Business District, linking Airport Road to Federal Secretariat had been cleared.

Mr Ochi said that it took the combined efforts of all the security and safety agencies to avert what would have resulted in a fire incident.

While condoling with families of the dead, Mr Ochi warned motorists against speed limit violation.

He urged them to drive safely to avoid accidents and loss of lives.

(NAN)