FUEL TANKER DRIVER DIES IN LONE ACCIDENT IN AWKA, DANGER LOOMS AS PEOPLE SCOOP DIESEL

Reporter : UCHE NDEKE

One person has reportedly died after a tanker laden with diesel fell at the Immigration Junction, Awka on the Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

Radio Nigeria gathered that the deceased, who was said to be the driver of the vehicle was still trapped beneath the tanker for over one and half hours while people wait for rescue team from various emergency agencies to arrive.

According to some eye witnesses, the driver lost control of the vehicle while descending the Onitsha axis of the expressway before it plunged into the concrete road demarcation, leaving the drivers legs up and head beneath.

One of the persons present when the incident happened said the driver would have crushed several commuters and motorists along the road if he had not chosen to divert the tanker to the Agu Awka angle of the road where he allegedly died.

Meanwhile some of residents from the area rushed to the scene with jerry cans and buckets scooping diesel that spilled on the road and flowing into the drainage.

A resident, Mr. Valentine Onyeobi, while recalling that over four accidents involving articulated vehicles had occurred at the same junction this year (2020), appealed to the federal and state governments to consider constructing a big round about there to save lives and property.

That notwithstanding, some road traffic agents, however, were on ground to control traffic.

As at the time of this report, people still looked forward to seeing fire service and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to come to rescue the situation three hours after the incident occurred.