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A tanker driver, his colleague, and a passerby have been killed in a tanker explosion that occured on Monday night in Lokoja, the Kogi State Capital.
The deceased persons were burnt beyond recognition by the fully loaded petrol tanker which burst into flames after a brake failure on the notorious Felele Highway, Lokoja.
The crash occurred sometime before 9:pm.
Residents and passersby around Living Faith Church, Felele, scampered for safety immediately the accident occured.
The tanker was descending the sloppy section of the road when it experienced brake failure which resulted in the truck ramming into another truck, a Dyna pick-up van.
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An eyewitness told TheNewsGuru that the crash resulted from dangerous driving by the driver who suddenly lost control.
“The tanker was totally burnt. The Dyna pick-up van that was parked by the roadside and two other vehicles were also affected by the fire.”
Confirming the incident, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Stephen Dawulung, told newsmen on Tuesday in Lokoja that two other victims were rescued with burns and taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, for medical attention and the corpses deposited at the mortuary.
“Traffic was at a standstill due to the magnitude of the fire.
“It was after the fire subsided that operatives of the FRSC conducted traffic control to clear the hold-up that had built up.
Dawulung warned drivers of articulated vehicles, especially those carrying flammable substances to always be cautious and drive within the regulated speed limit and maintain all vehicle safety protocols like the use of safety valves to prevent spillages of content in the event of a crash.
He then gave directive for full investigation into the crash to unravel the immediate and remote causes.
He restated the commitment of his men to ensure the safety of lives of all road users, noting that himself and his men could not do it alone without the resolve of members of the public to cooperate with them.ta
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