The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC said has recovered 95 bodies from the area where a tanker burst into flames at Okobie, Rivers State.
Kayode Olagunju, FRSC Sector Commander for Rivers State, said the bodies were recovered as at 11.45a.m at the village, 11 kilometres from Ahoada-Mbiama, in Ahoada West Local Government Area.
According to him, four vehicles, including the tanker, were involved in a crash early Thursday. The tanker caught fire when the people rushed for “free fuel.”
“People were scooping fuel from the tanker when it exploded, casualty figures definitely high, and about 20 injured persons already taken to the hospitals,” he said.
Thirty-four motor-cycles also got burnt.
Indeed, more than 100 people are feared to have died after a tanker exploded in Okogbe town in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State Thursday morning. The fuel tanker was reported to have broken down overnight on a road in the area and was gushing fuel.
A large crowd of people reportedly gathered around the tanker, scooping fuel leaking from the tanker. According to reports, while the scooping of fuel was on, the tanker exploded.
The fire that broke out from the explosion consumed scores of persons at the spot.
Ben Ugwuegbulam, spokesman of the Rivers State police command, confirmed the incidence.
“Early this morning a tanker loaded with petrol fell in Okogbe and people trooped to the scene obviously to scoop the spilled fuel and suddenly there was fire resulting in casualties,” he said.
