In what can be regarded as tragic and horrific incident, a CNG gas tanker has exploded at Karu Bridge along the Abuja-Nyanya-Keffi highway of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) while several people are feared dead, following the explosion
The incident, which occured on Wednesday evening, was said to have destroyed several vehicles, raising fears of multiple casualties.
A viral video also captured a voice urgently calling for help, reporting that the tanker had exploded while trapped motorists were burning.
Witnesses said the truck lost control near the Karu Bridge, situated between Kugbo and Nyanya on the Abuja-Keffi Expressway.
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) confirmed the incident, stating that the explosion occurred at about 7:14 pm on Wednesday.
In a statement signed by FEMD’s Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isaac, the Head of Forecasting Response and Mitigation, Mark Nyam, explained that the accident occurred when the driver of the CNG truck lost control and collided with other vehicles, leading to the explosion.
The statement reads in part, “A ghastly motor accident has occurred at the Karu Bridge between Kugbo and Nyanya in the FCT. The accident, which occurred at about 7.14 this evening, involved a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) truck and other vehicles.
“According to the Head of Forecasting Response and Mitigation division of FEMA, Mr Mark Nyam, the accident occurred when the driver of the CNG truck lost control on the bridge, thereby running into other motorists and leading to an explosion.”
He noted that the search and rescue teams of the FEMD, the Federal Fire Service, the FCT Fire Service, the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Emergency Management Agency, were on the ground to rescue the casualties.
In a telephone conversation with The Daily Trust, a witness, Fatima Diamond, said: “The incident happened so fast. Several vehicles were burnt.
“I personally counted five vehicles, but I learnt it affected over 20 vehicles. I had to quickly find my way through the help of a motorcycle.”
A counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, also quoted other witnesses as describing scenes of horror as people scrambled for safety.
Several vehicles were instantly consumed by the fire, trapping occupants inside.
A survivor who managed to escape from a nearby vehicle said, “I saw the tanker coming at high speed, swerving dangerously before it crashed. Within seconds, there was an explosion, and fire spread everywhere
