The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Onitsha has confirmed the evacuation of a leaking tanker conveying cooking gas on the Onitsha-Awka and Awka-Onitsha expressway.

FRSC spokeswoman Margaret Onabe confirmed this on Tuesday.

”The articulated tanker had a gas leakage. Because of this, there was a gridlock on the Onitsha-Awka and Awka-Onitsha and environs. With the removal, smooth vehicular movement is gradually reducing and normal traffic flow is expected in due time,” she said.

There was pandemonium on Tuesday on the Onitsha-Awka road by the New Tarzan area, Nkpor as a tanker conveying cooking gas spilled its contents on the road.

The development, which was said to have started at about 10:00 a.m., caused a gridlock on the ever-busy road as the area was cordoned off and vehicles prevented from moving closer to avoid a fire outbreak.

Vehicles going in and out of Onitsha that were caught up around the area stood on standstill for several hours while men of the fire service were on standby to forestall any fire outbreak.

Commuters and passengers going in and out of Onitsha alighted from vehicles and started trekking away from the scene of the incident.

FRSC sector commander in Anambra, Adeoye Irelewuyi, while confirming the incident in a statement, said, “Motorists are advised to use alternative routes from Awka, enter the road at Nkwelle Junction to burst out at 33 to GRA or Nkpor to burst out at Boromeo roundabout and to Onitsha.”

FRSC operatives from the RS5.3 Nteje unit command, who were at the scene completely blocked from both lanes to avoid sudden fire outbreak.

“The incident happened at a location called ‘Sister’, which is between the Building Materials and Tarzan junction where our traffic control personnel are controlling traffic and also observing the situation,” said the FRSC. “The driver of the tanker was carrying cooking gas which started leaking and decided to park the truck at that location.”

The FRSC added, “Meanwhile, the gas vapour is still leaking as of this time, but the fire service personnel are also on the ground neutralising the area. Vehicles other than tankers and trailers diverted from the toll gate drove against traffic to the Building Material Junction towards Ogbunike to Old Road.”  

(NAN)