Petrol Tanker Fire Claims Four Lives on Benin-Lagos Highway

On Thursday, a petrol tanker fell and caught fire along the Benin-Lagos Highway in Oluku, Ovia North East Local Government Area, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, including a military officer. The incident occurred around 7:30 am, with witnesses reporting that residents began scooping fuel before security agencies could control the situation.

The explosion happened later in the afternoon, after the tanker had fallen. A survivor recounted that two men who were directly beneath the tanker at the time of the explosion died instantly.

The fire spread beyond the tanker, destroying a market owned by Chief Osamede Adun, known as Bob Izua, and damaging several parked vehicles and shops nearby. Ten individuals suffered severe burns and were transported to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu led the emergency response efforts to stabilize the victims and limit fatalities.