Panic In Jos As Dawn Fire Razes Fuel Station

A petroleum and cooking gas station, Chill Cherry, on Bukuru Expressway in Jos, the Plateau State capital, was gutted by fire yesterday morning. The incident triggered panic among residents and motorists in the area.

The fire at the station, which is a short distance from the Jos South Local Government Secretariat, reportedly started at the main underground petroleum discharge tank.

Eyewitnesses said there were no firefighters on the scene at the early stage of the inferno, while the workers made frantic efforts to contain it.

As the fire raged, customers and passers-by fled the area for safety, as the station also operates a cooking gas outlet.

“I saw two emergency responder vehicles moving fast to the area and I think their prompt response underscores the growing synergy between federal and state fire service agencies in managing emergencies and safeguarding life and property across the state,” a resident said.

The spokesperson of the Federal Fire Service in the state, Mr E.E. Anzolo, confirmed the incident, saying “men of the Plateau State Fire Service were on ground to handle the situation.”

The cause of the inferno had not been established as of the time of filing this report.