No fewer than 15 people were injured in a road accident that occurred at the Esther Obiakor/Ikenga Hotel Junction in Awka along the Onitsha – Enugu expressway early morning on Monday.
Top Anmabra state government officials that responded to the situation that included the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Emeka Sibeudu, the Secretary to the State Government-Mr. Oseloka Obaze took over the direction of events to save a possible outbreak of fire at the scene.
The accident involved multiple vehicles, including a fully loaded petrol tanker with a Lagos state registration XZ 504 MUS, which fell on its side, while six other smaller vehicles run into it, apparently unknowingly in quick succession. This led a heavy traffic jam along the highway as far as Arroma junction on one side and the Nnamdi Azikiwe University main gate, on the other side.
The other vehicles include a Volkswagen jetta car with registration No SF 219 KJA; Toyota Camry with registration Number AGN 29 AA; a Mercedes Benz 230 with registration Number AE 819 UMZ; an L300 bus with registration Number XA 648 NKK; and a Nissan Quest SUV with registration Number SG 837 AAA.
The timely arrival and immediate diversion of vehicles to alternative routes by road marshals from the state command of the FRSC, National Emergency Management Agency, the Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence and Anambra State Transport Agency personnel saved what could have led to a fire explosion as the petroleum products from the tanker kept spilling all over the area. The officers cordoned off the area immediately.
Also the nearby Anambra State Fire Service whose station is just by the scene of the accident quickly responded to the situation. Its men, who stationed a fire fighting van at the scene of the accident, while they sprayed a chemical on the leaking fuel.
The Chief Fire officer of Anambra State, Mr. Samuel Aniagor, said the foam sprayed on the spilled fuel would prevent the fuel from catching fire. H said traffic was being diverted so as to prevent any unforeseen spark from the exhaust pipes of the vehicles that could cause fire.
The NEMA team was led by the South Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Bandele Onimode, who said the injured occupants of the accident vehicles involved in the accident had been taken to hospital. But he could not immediately say how many they were.
