IT was a gloomy day in Opa community, Idanre Local government area of Ondo State on Saturday February 18, when property worth millions of naira went up in flames in the area, as a tanker carrying petrol fell and caught fire. Though, no life was lost in the incident, the fire razed down a filling station, a residential building, a new transformer and over 10 shops in that vicinity. An eyewitness narrated that the tanker, was at a filling station in the community to transmit into the underground tank of the station through a big pipe when it caught fire.
HOWEVER, an unconfirmed media reports stated that the tanker driver allegedly diverted the fuel to Idanre from its original station where the consignment was allocated. Getting to the new and illegal destination, the tanker driver reportedly refused to discharge its content over a disagreement on price. Eyewitnesses hinted that disaster struck as the driver was attempting to make a u-turn to leave the station for another destination. Though men of the Federal and Ondo State Fire Services were able to put off the fire, more damages had been done before their arrival, as a result of the distance between the scene of the incident and the state capital, Akure, where the fire service men are located.
THE HOPE commiserates with the victims of the fire accident. We also commend the Federal and Ondo State Fire Services for the spirited efforts they made to put off the fire, and the well-meaning citizens who contacted them.
WE hereby call on the State Government to investigate the matter, in order to unravel the actual cause of the fire accident, whether the petrol was actually meant for another destination before it was diverted to Idanre, as being speculated. Such enquiry would assist the government get to the root of the incident and sanction appropriately those found culpable. It would also serve as a deterrent to other economic saboteurs that they would be punished if caught.
FOLLOWING from the ugly experience, the state government should establish more offices for the state fire service across the state, so that professional help would be accessible whenever such an incident like this occurs. The fire service in the state capital will also not be overburdened.
THE HOPE admonishes companies distributing petroleum products to ensure that the trucks get to their original destination. This can be achieved if the NNPC Limited and other oil companies installs tracking devices on their tankers, with a view to monitoring their drivers and control sharp practices that may be going while transporting the products. They should also ensure that drivers are well trained and the erring ones sanctioned appropriately. Relevant government agencies should ensure that fuel tankers and owners of filling stations insure their vehicles and premises to mitigate any eventuality of this nature in line with extant regulations.
We also seize this opportunity to encourage individuals and corporate organisations to insure their property against unforeseen but not totally avoidable circumstances like this, so that losses suffered can be redeemed, as much as possible. To make this possible, the government should embark on aggressive media sensitisation for the people about the importance of insuring their property, and ensure compliance.
Similarly, we appeal to the state government to look into the issue of siting of filling stations. Government should take measures to ensure that filling stations are not sited in residential areas where a possible fire outbreak can spread to nearby homes, thereby leading to avoidable loss of lives and property.
Also, as promised by the Ondo State Government when the Deputy Governor visited the scene of the accident for an on the spot assessment, the State Emergency Management Agency should take a stock of all the losses suffered and devise means of compensating the affected people.