Two persons have lost their lives in a fuel-laden tanker explosion on the Abakaliki-Onueke-Afikpo expressway in Ebonyi.

Igwe Nnabuife, sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state, confirmed the incident to journalists on Saturday in Abakaliki.

Mr Nnabuife said that the truck, which was carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), known as petrol, caught fire on Friday around 8:20 p.m. at the airport junction axis of the highway.

“One vehicle was involved. We have not been able to identify the registration number because the vehicle was burnt beyond recognition.

“On fatality, two persons were killed while one was seriously injured. The dead ones have been taken to Alex-Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

“The injured person was taken to Onueke General Hospital, Ezza-South Local Government Area of Ebonyi,” the sector commander said.

Mr Nnabuife said the incident was unfortunate, and the command had begun arrangements to take the burnt tanker off the road.

A firefighter and driver at Ebonyi Fire Service, who refused to mention his name, said that they were able to put out the fire with God’s intervention.

“The incident claimed people’s lives and caused damage to farmlands in the area.

“We were able to put out the fire, but two persons were burnt beyond recognition—a driver and one other person in the tanker.

“We learnt that the tanker was trying to drive on the flyover bridge at the junction but unfortunately fell and caught fire.

“There were three persons in the tanker, but two were killed while one other person was seriously injured in the incident.

“We were there five minutes after the distress calls were made; we focused on the tanker to avoid fire entering people’s residences,” he added.

(NAN)