Fuel Tanker Falls Off Bad Ubeji Road, Explodes Near Warri Refinery

A tanker laden with patrol on Thursday night fell off the bad portion of Ubeji road, near the Warri Refinery and Petroleum Chemical Company, bursting into flame.

The tanker which hit on the fence of the primary school while the driver was struggling to control it spilled all its content on the road, a development which led to the burning of nearby houses, stores and vehicles.

The accident was caused by the failed portion of the Ubeji road which Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had failed to repair.

BigPen Online learnt that the tanker was heading off Ubeji community after loading in refinery’s Depot. It plunged into a porthole on the road and hit on the walls of the primary school.

Meanwhile, former Director of General of Direct Labour Agency, DLA, in Delta State, Comrade Emmanuel Igbini has reacted to the deadly fire incident resulting from the explosion of the tanker saying the incident was “man-made and self inflicted disaster”.

In a post made on his Facebook page, Igbini said: “I feel so seriously devastated since yesterday night (Thursday) when I read about a fallen truck loaded with petrol which immediately burst into flame destroying houses and properties in Ubeji Community, near Warri and right behind Warri Refinery Complex and Nigerian Gas Company.

“The cause of this accident is said to be the very deplorable state of the only road leading in and out of the community and the one being used by some major petroleum products tank farms for importation and supply of these products to various parts of Nigeria.

“It is very very unfortunate that some of our people privileged to be in positions of trust on our behalf never learned lesson from their “mumu”.

“During my tenure as DG of DLA I knew the pressure I brought to bear on my then Boss, fmr Gov. Uduaghan, to permit DLA to urgently rehabilitate the very deplorable sections of the Roads in Ubeji and Jeddo despite the fact that we heard on good authority that some of our big people in power have secured the contracts from NDDC, DESOPADEC or other FG Agencies to rehabilitate these Roads but left them abandoned.

“Gracefully, Gov. Uduaghan approved and mobilised DLA to fix the very deplorable sections of these Roads. This we did.

“That of Ubeji, we had done the earth works and stonebased before the heavy rains began hence we suspended asphalting which if done, will wash away in few months. But surprisingly, another Government Agency rushed in to asphalt in order to claim all the credits and financial blessings that follow.

“The result? Everything washed away in few months and the roads returned to more deplorable state. Daily our people ply this road in pains and daily they prayed against any accident like his one occurring”.

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