Some drivers and passengers have reportedly lost their lives and over 70 vehicles burnt in a tanker explosion along the Aleto Eleme axis of the East-West Road, in Rivers State.
The incident occurred at about 7:30pm between Indorama Gate and Aleto Bridge on the popular and ever busy Eleme section of the East-West Road currently undergoing major reconstruction by the Federal Government.
It was gathered that the explosion was caused by a tanker vehicle conveying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol.
Eyewitnesses said a very long stretch of vehicles trapped in the gridlock was completely burnt. They said drivers and passengers, especially women and girls could not escape from the inferno.
Meanwhile, the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has described as very unfortunate the fire incident, which burnt motorists and commuters beyond recognition and destroyed a good number of vehicles.
Governor Fubara expressed his sadness at the gory sights that he saw when he visited the scene of the incident.
Fubara was accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the State Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Uchechukwu Nwafor, on Saturday morning.
The governor explained that he got a call from the Managing Director of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company Limited in Eleme Local Government Area, informing him of the incident.
Fubara stated that as he received news of the incident, he immediately routed a call to the security agencies and instructed them to visit the scene to take charge of the security of the area to avoid escalation of the situation.
