A series of explosions originating from fuel tankers ignited a devastating inferno along the Eleme section of the East-West Road in Rivers State, engulfing not fewer than 100 vehicles and an undetermined number of individuals.
The calamitous incident, which occurred late on Friday night, left countless travelers stranded in its wake.
Reports indicate that the catastrophe was triggered by a tanker carrying petroleum products, which erupted into flames, subsequently spreading to adjacent tankers and numerous vehicles ensnared in a traffic jam.
While some estimates suggest that over 300 vehicles fell victim to the blaze, others approximate the count to be at least 100.
Although the exact toll of casualties remains unconfirmed, sources reveal that many individuals, trapped within their vehicles, succumbed to the engulfing flames.
Blame for the tragic event has been placed on reckless driving practices and alleged negligence by the company responsible for the reconstruction of the Eleme section of the road.
The conflagration raged for several hours before finally being quelled by a fleet of fire service trucks, aided by assistance from Indoroma Petrochemical.
One eyewitness recounted hearing two deafening explosions from his residence, accompanied by desperate cries for aid echoing amidst the chaos.
The source said: “I heard a very loud sound about 20 minutes ago, and people were shouting.
“The sound came from the Petro-Chemical company area. So when I came out I saw a tick smoke with fire from a distance.”
A resident of Port Harcourt, Segun Owolabi said: “I saw four dead bodies burnt. Some may have been in the bushes because many ran away. I saw a whole stretch of vehicles burnt down, trailer burnt down.
“There seems to be a truck carrying substances and it was as if it had collision with another vehicle that may have ignited the fire. Over 20 vehicles burnt down and several people trapped.
“There may be more bodies. Oh my God this is a tragedy. A stretch of vehicles burnt”.
