Meanwhile, the impact caused damage to the tanker’s compressed air tank and air lines, leading to brake failure.
A major disaster was averted on Wednesday after a diesel tanker carrying 45,000 litres of fuel was involved in a road traffic accident at Shao Junction, along the Kanbi/Olooru Expressway in Kwara State.
The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed a head-on collision between a moving diesel tanker and a parked articulated truck.
Meanwhile, the impact caused damage to the tanker’s compressed air tank and air lines, leading to brake failure.
According to a statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, the situation was made more precarious by ongoing road construction on the opposite lane, which forced all vehicles to use a single route.
“This severely limited maneuverability, and the illegally parked truck created a deadly obstruction,” Adekunle explained.
“Had it not been for the prompt intervention of our team, this could have resulted in a catastrophic fire.”
Firefighters from the Kwara State Fire Service responded swiftly, dousing the tanker and accident scene with water to eliminate any chance of ignition.
They were supported by officers from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Kwara State Traffic Management Authority (KWATMA).
In a carefully coordinated operation, the diesel was successfully transloaded into an empty tanker using the siphoning method.
Security personnel maintained control of the scene throughout the process and ensured public safety.
The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service commended the inter-agency cooperation that made the operation successful.
“We are deeply grateful for the support of the Police, NSCDC, FRSC, and KWATMA. Their presence and coordination were instrumental in allowing our team to carry out its task efficiently and without any obstruction,” the Director said.
However, no lives were lost in the incident, and normal traffic flow was gradually restored after the emergency response was completed.
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