No fewer than 17 persons were reportedly roasted alive and several others seriously injured on Wednesday when a petroleum tanker exploded around Koko Junction along the Benin/Sapele Expressway in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Police, however, said only three people killed in the explosion were burnt beyond recognition.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at about 11.00 am, when the tanker laden with petroleum product, suddenly fell as the driver was manoeuvring a bad portion of the express road.
It spilled the petroleum product on the ever-busy highway, resulting in an explosion.
Several other victims were said to have been burnt beyond recognition, while about 10 other vehicles were caught in the inferno.
“More than 20 persons were burnt beyond recognition. About 10 vehicles were trapped in the explosion. The victims were occupants of the burnt vehicles,” a source said.
Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps and security agencies later moved to the scene to remove the corpses and rush others injured to the nearest hospitals.
State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, confirmed the incident but declined to give further details.
The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Onome Onovwakloyeya, said, “Three victims were burnt beyond recognition on the spot,” adding that some vehicles and motorcycles were also burnt in the tanker explosion.