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By Bose Adelaja

About 10 residential buildings were razed, yesterday, in Matogun area of Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State when a truck laden with petroleum product exploded in the area.

This occurred in the morning, off Akute – Oke-aro Road, Onolambe, Matogun Road, Ogun State.

The tanker was said to be laden with about 45,000 of the product when it crashed, spilling the contents which resulted in an explosion. 

Residents were said to have scampered for safety while the fire raged.

Eyewitnesses’ account said men of Ogun State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service and National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, jointly saved the situation from degenerating.    A resident, Oluwatosin Ariyanja, said the incident caused confusion in the area. He said, “A tanker has fallen and there was a fire outbreak in our area. People are trying to use fire extinguishers but the fire is massive.”

Another resident, Akanni Amos, said the dilapidated nature of the road may have delayed rescue operations. “The road is in bad shape and this may have delayed emergency officials from accessing the scene of the incident”, he added.

The Coordinator, Lagos Territorial District, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, who mobilised emergency responders to the scene, said the incident did not record any casualty.  In his on- the -spot assessment, he said, “A tanker laden with about 45,000 litres of PMS crashed, spilled its content and exploded this morning at Olambe Matogun Road, Ifo LGA,   Ogun State.

“Though, no life was lost or anyone sustained injury, about 10 buildings were consumed in the incident.

“The situation was mitigated with most of the content spilling into the canal close to the scene thereby saving the community from serious incidents that could have affected people.” 

At press time, he said the fire had been put out.