Ayobamiji Komolafe 
A devastating tanker which fire broke out near Okaki Junction, along the Akenfa axis of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capitao destroyed shops and homes Worth millions of Naira but no lives lost.
The inferno, which occurred earlier this week, has left many residents grappling with the loss of their properties.
One of the victims, Smart Okhwo, from Ofoni community in Sagbama Local Government Area who narrated his ordeal revealed that he received a call informing him that his house was on fire.
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By the time the fire service arrived, his home, along with a Point-of-Sale (PoS) kiosk operated by his son, had been completely destroyed.
“The goods of some of my tenants, who operated shops in my house, were also consumed by the flames,” Okhwo explained.
He went on to praise the brave efforts of community members who attempted to rescue some property before the fire service arrived.
According to Okhwo, the fire started when the tanker, which was involved in an accident, caught fire, spreading rapidly to nearby homes and shops.
He accused the police of being responsible for the accident, claiming that they had stopped the tanker by using a tricycle (keke) to block the road.
“The driver tried to dodge the ‘keke’, but he ended up climbing the pavement, causing the tanker to somersault. That’s when the fire erupted,” Okhwo stated.
He urged the government to intervene and assist his tenants and other business owners who lost their properties in the blaze.
Another affected house owner, Dennis Godwin, from Delta State, expressed gratitude that no lives were lost in the fire.
Having received an urgent call while away, he returned to find his house destroyed.
Godwin echoed the plea for government intervention, stating, “The government should do something to help us.”
One of the traders who lost his goods in the fire, though choosing to remain anonymous, stressed the need for justice for those who had been affected.
Meanwhile, Nelson Meeting, the firefighter who led the response team, expressed frustration at the difficulties faced during the operation.
He explained that while his team responded immediately upon receiving the distress call, road users failed to give them the right of way, despite their sirens.
Meeting also observed that onlookers, some of whom were recording videos of the fire, hindered the firefighters’ efforts.
He warned that using mobile phones near a fire could be dangerous due to radiation from the devices and urged the public to allow emergency workers to carry out their duties.
“They don’t realize that videoing during such incidents is dangerous because of phone radiation. Next time, they should give us space to work and follow our instructions,” he advised.
In response to allegations that the police were responsible for the tanker accident, Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Musa Mohammed, denied the claims.
He explained that the tanker experienced brake failure, causing the driver to lose control and collide with the ‘keke’.
The keke driver reportedly escaped by jumping into the nearby Epie Creek, where he was later rescued.
Authorities are continuing their investigations into the incident as victims call for swift government intervention to assist those affected by the fire.
