Three persons have been killed in an explosion from a tanker carrying fuel in Ago-Egun, Idiroko, Ogun State.
Many others were injured.
Residential apartments, vehicles and 10 lock-up shops worth over N25 million were razed.
Worse-hit by the incident, which occurred on Wednesday, is the traditional ruler (Baale) of Ago-Egun, Chief Kolade Amosun, who lost his wife, Abosede and two of his three children – Joseph(9) and Serah (7) to the fire, which engulfed his home.
Amosun’s third child, Israel (5), who was severely burnt, is in a critical condition at a hospital in Idiroko, where doctors are battling to save his life.
The Baale broke down in tears yesterday during the burial of his wife and children.
He told The Nation that all his belongings were razed by the fire and urged Nigerians and the state government to come to his aid.
Amosun said no one had claimed ownership of the tanker.
He said: “I was sleeping around 11:10pm when I heard persistent knocks on my brother’s door. I came out of my house to the street and discovered that a liquid substance was flowing into the street. That was when people told me a tanker had fallen in the street and its content was flowing into the community.
“A woman instructed everyone to put off the light and I rushed back to my house to evacuate my family. But before I could step out of the house, the tanker exploded and huge balls of fire engulfed my house. My wife and two children were burnt to death. My last born, who was also burnt, is lying critically ill in the hospital. My wife, children and earnings are all gone. Nigerians should come to my aid; I am finished.”
The Nation gathered that the tanker was about to discharge its content at a filling station, when it fell.
It was learnt that over 33,000 litres of petrol was emptied into the community.
Mr. Saliu Oyegbile, a mechanic, lost his Jetta car, marked DC 309 MUS, and home in the fire.
Police Commissioner Ikemefuna Okoye and the Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Mr. Mohammed Abdulkadir, visited the scene yesterday.
Okoye said the police would investigate the incident.