President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, ordered priority treatment of persons injured in Wednesday’s tanker explosion at various medical facilities in Abuja.
He also directed a thorough investigation into the incident that resulted in multiple accidents and loss of lives that occurred near Karu bridge, along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway, on Wednesday.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed the directive in a statement he signed Thursday titled, ‘President Tinubu directs investigation into tanker explosion in Karu, sympathises with victims.’
He said, “The President directed security agencies, particularly those concerned with road safety, to pay closer attention to traffic around the capital city’s entry and exit points.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department has confirmed that 10 persons have died in the truck explosion.
The FEMD’s Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, confirmed the number in a statement on Thursday afternoon.
TheNigerian Metro reports that the acting Director General of the Emergency Department, Abdulrahman Mohammed, earlier confirmed that eight persons had died as of Thursday morning, with five confirmed dead on the scene, and four others burnt beyond recognition.
“Five people were taken dead from the scene yesterday. Out of the people who were injured, one died, making six. Then this morning, when I asked my people to go round, they discovered that two had already died again, making eight. Four of them from yesterday were burnt beyond recognition.”, he explained.
However, in her statement, Isa said the Head, Forecasting Response and Mitigation of FEMD, Mr Mark Nyam, said eight bodies were deposited at the Karu Hospital Morgue, one body at the Asokoro Distinct Hospital Morgue while another body was deposited at the National Hospital.
He added that some victims had been referred to the Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital, Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, and Cedercrest Hospital Abuja for proper care.
Part of the statement reads, “The FCT Emergency Management Department can confirm that 10 persons lost their lives to the truck explosion that occurred at Karu bridge along Abuja-Keffi Expressway.
“The Head Forecasting Response and Mitigation of FEMD, Mr Mark Nyam, said eight bodies were deposited at the Karu Hospital Morgue, one body at the Asokoro Distinct Hospital Morgue while another body was deposited at the National Hospital.
“He informed me that over 30 persons suffered various degrees of burns. Some of the victims have been referred to the Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital, Federal Medical Centre, Keffi and Cedercrest Hospital Abuja for proper care.”
Eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident said the truck lost control while descending the slopy service, before swerving into the busy expressway, and crashing into a long vehicle, carrying construction workers.
One of the eyewitnesses, who gave his name as Omotoso Biodun, narrated that the crash resulted in three different explosions, with parts of vehicles and CNG tanks flung in different directions, adding that the vehicles were engulfed in flames for more than an hour before first responders and men of the fire service arrived on the scene.
“I was across the expressway on the other side when it happened. The truck was in the service lane. While the truck was coming, I think the driver observed that the brake was failing, so he halted a little bit, creating a little space in front. But you know, because it was a trailer, no car was ready to overtake and stay in front. But all of a sudden, he released the brakes, and then the truck started descending at full speed. It was carrying cement bags of about four to five layers.
“I was wondering why the trailer was speeding like that when there was so much traffic. Before I knew it, the truck swerved from the speed lane. I guess the driver wanted to use the construction truck that it later crashed into to wedge itself. While it was going, it started crushing other vehicles in its path, then shifted to the other lane, had an impact, and then what we saw was the explosion.
“People were emerging from the construction truck, while on fire, coming out with burns all over their body. Where you see police vehicles parked, I held somebody with blood all over his mouth. Where you see a wreckage of vehicles, a guy’s legs were twisted and broken, and we just had to call his family. We were trying to evacuate some people, when another explosion occurred. You will see one of the CNG tanks that flew across the road and damaged a transformer. All of these happened between 6:30 and 7 pm. Forget emergency services, for more than an hour, this place was burning and there was no emergency service,” he said.
Another eyewitness, who gave his name as Joe, in his narration, said the fire service officers arrived within 30 minutes of the incident, adding that it was impossible at the time of the incident to ascertain the number of cars involved as many of the cars were already engulfed in flames.
“Where I was sitting down when that thing happened at the Oasis Hotel, it didn’t take up to 10 minutes before I got here. I was coming out of the hotel when I heard the first blast, and then the second, and I told my friend it wasn’t ordinary. So, I decided to come and check. I came here and met the firefighters here. That was around 7 pm after it happened. The fire service officers were here in an interval of between 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Apart from that, both roads were blocked. They came from Nyanya station.
“You couldn’t even count how many vehicles were involved, because there was fire everywhere, on this side of the road and the other side. But the firefighters were at the centre trying to quench the fire,” he said.
A victim of the incident, William Jakurum, a security guard at a nearby children’s playground equipment store, who spoke in Hausa, narrated that the force of the explosion propelled one of the CNG tanks to where he was performing his duties, noting however that although he sustained only minor physical injuries, there may have been internal injuries as well.
“When the accident happened, there was fire, the vehicles were burning. And then while the vehicles were burning the cylinders exploded and one of them flew across and hit my leg. Luckily for me, my colleague was here and picked me up, that was how I escaped the other explosions. It happened around 7:30 pm yesterday. I haven’t been to any hospital, but I sustained some injuries on my legs and some little bruises. But there may be some internal injuries, I don’t know.”, he said.
At the Trauma Centre of the National Hospital in the Central Business District, our correspondent was denied access to the victims. A hospital staff, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as he did not have authorization to speak on the matter however stated that only nine victims out of the 10 brought to the hospital were still receiving treatment, as one of the victims had died.
He added that the victims were in critical condition, having sustained serious burns from the accident, adding that doctors were making efforts to attend to the patients round the clock.
One of the victims’ wives, Chiamaka Uju, who spoke with our correspondent, said that her husband suffered injuries on his hands, thighs and back, and was transferred to the National Hospital after being initially taken to a hospital in Jikwoyi.
“Yesterday evening, around 6 pm or 7 pm, he just ran into the house on a bike, after the explosion. He said there was fire everywhere and he had to run to the fire and run to the house. After that, we took him to Sisters Nativity Hospital in Jikwoyi. He stayed there overnight, but this morning, he was referred here, and we brought him here. He sustained injuries on his hands, his lap and his back. They took him in on a stretcher this morning. They just started treatments on him, so unless the doctors tell us anything, we don’t know what is going on.”, she said.
Similarly, Kelechi, said his friend, who had been admitted at the hospital since 8:30 pm on Wednesday sustained injuries across the left side of his body, adding that doctors had also restricted access to see him.
“My friend was affected in the accident. He was brought in here amidst the traffic and all that, at about 8:30 pm yesterday. They commenced treatment immediately and he was a bit stabilised as of last night when we spoke with him. Since morning the doctors have been there, but they have not allowed us in. The last time we spoke, he is gradually getting better. He sustained serious injuries on his left arm, his left leg and his face, the left side of his face. I think he was trying to get out of the vehicle. He was going home to Mararaba from work. He was in public transport when it happened. But I have not seen him to hear details of what happened.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has commiserated with victims and families of the incident, while praying for the quick recovery of those who were hospitalised.
The Minister for Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, in a statement by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jonathan Eze, expressed sadness at the incident while describing the loss of lives and property as a “painful reminder” of the need for increased safety measures to prevent such occurrences.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic gas tanker fire explosion that occurred at Karu Bridge along the Abuja-Nyanya-Keffi Highway on Wednesday evening. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this unfortunate incident. The loss of lives and property is a painful reminder of the need for increased safety measures to prevent such occurrences.
“As we mourn, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wish the injured a swift recovery. May God grant them strength and comfort during this difficult time.”, the statement read.
Similarly, the Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure of the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulation Authority, Ogbugo Ukoha, commiserated with the victims and their families on behalf of the President and the Ministers of Petroleum, while calling for better security measures on the roads.
“The Ministers of State (Petroleum) and Mr. President would like to commiserate with the victims of this incident. Sadly, we’ve been advised that there were several fatalities and there were also other casualties that were rushed to the hospital. Trucks-in-transit accidents remain a very big priority for us, because every life that is lost, and every investment that is lost is a very, very depressing fact. And the NMDPRA with all its stakeholders, have been working very hard to make sure that we zero down on trucks-in-transit accidents.
“Indeed, on Wednesday, we had a stakeholders engagement meeting, and we reviewed the data of the resolutions taken earlier this year and how we were implementing them in the last month. We found that there had been a drastic reduction in fatalities on the road because we have enforced strong safe-to-load initiatives at the depot. “There are additional measures that we are kicking off in the next week or two, including colour-coding of all trucks.”, he said.
