Several commuters narrowly escaped death on Saturday when a petroleum tanker burst into flames at Ajia junction on the Ibadan-Ife Road, Ibadan.
The tanker, heavily loaded with fuel, caught fire around 4:45 p.m. as the driver attempted to switch lanes.
The fire destroyed several vehicles, including a mini truck, a commuter bus, a Micra car, a tricycle, and two motorcycles.
Eyewitness Biodun Ayoola recounted the chaotic scene, explaining that as soon as the tanker caught fire, passengers in the nearby vehicles and on the motorcycles fled in fear. “All the occupants of the affected vehicles and motorcycles immediately ran for their lives when they saw the petrol tanker on fire,” Ayoola said.
He further attributed the incident to ongoing construction at Ajia junction, where the contractor had blocked one lane for a pedestrian bridge, forcing vehicles to use the other.
“The tanker exploded while trying to merge onto the other lane, but thankfully, everyone managed to escape before the blast,” Ayoola added.
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) public relations officer for Oyo State, Mayowa Odewo, confirmed the incident and reported that officers from the Egbeda unit were still managing the situation.
He assured that a detailed statement would be released once the operation was completed.
