One Dies, Cars, Properties Burnt In Ogun Gas Tanker Explosion

One person was confirmed dead while four vehicles were completely burnt when a truck carrying Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exploded in Abeokuta yesterday.

The explosion, which occurred around 4: 15p.m. at the Ita- Oshin axis of Abeokuta metropolis, also shook the foundations of several residential buildings, leaving many of them with shattered louvres and glass doors.

LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that driver of the gas-laden truck, coming from its depot in the Obada – Oko axis of Abeokuta metropolis, was embroiled in a hot argument with the driver of another truck over a right of way in the axis which resulted in his loss of control and consequently crashed on the road median at the Ita- Oshin.

Eyewitness told LEADERSHIP Sunday that vehicular queues for petroleum purchase in the axis had taken half of the road that extended to the Lagos -Sango Ota – Abeokuta expressway, thereby forcing motorists to beg for passage in the axis.

But the refusal of the gas-laden truck to politely negotiate his right of way allegedly infuriated the driver of the other truck, thereby forcing him to crash on the road median which ignited a fire from the engine that eventually caused the explosion.

Head of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) team, Deputy Superintendent of Fire Service (DSF), Adeoye Adegoke, who spoke with LEADERSHIP Sunday confirmed that the only victim of the explosion was the motor boy of the gas-laden truck, whose body was shattered on the road and was packed by the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) into one of their body bags.