Two fuel tankers were engulfed by flames following a fire outbreak at an MRS filling station located along Numan Road, opposite the Jezco filling station near the Yola International Airport on Tuesday.
Reports indicate that both tankers were completely consumed by the fire as of the latest updates, with emergency responders, including the fire service, arriving at the scene to contain the situation.
According to Channels TV, the road leading into Yola, the state capital, was blocked by curious residents who gathered to witness the blaze, despite the obvious dangers posed by the fire.
While fire service personnel have initiated efforts to control the fire, it appears they ran out of water, hampering their attempts to fully extinguish the flames. Security teams have also arrived to secure the area and maintain order.
The incident follows a string of similar tragedies across the country.
In January 2025, at least 11 people lost their lives when a petrol tanker exploded on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway due to brake failure. The explosion occurred after the tanker tumbled and spilled its contents.
In another incident on January 18, 2025, at least 86 people were killed, and 55 others injured, after a group of people tried to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker in Niger State.
Earlier in January 2025, a petrol-laden tanker lost control and burst into flames in Agbor, Delta State, killing five people.
In October 2024, over 170 lives were lost in a tanker explosion in Jigawa State, while a similar incident in September 2024 in northwestern Niger State claimed the lives of 59 people when a fuel tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and cattle.