Disaster averted as tanker spills fuel in Plateau

Disaster was averted in Jos on Thursday after emergency service providers including men of the Federal Road Safety Corps closed the road of a spilt fuel-laden articulated vehicle.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the fuel-laden tanker spilt its contents on the ever-busy Bauchi road area while heading to a filling station to offload it.

It was further gathered that the incident which caused panic in the community happened in the early hours of the day as motorists and other road users hurried to work.

Confirming the incident to PUNCH Metro in Jos, the state capital, some passersby noted that the swift intervention of emergency responders brought the situation under control.
A resident, Musa Abdullahi, who witnessed the incident, said, “It happened on Thursday Morning,  November 28, 2024. The  Bauchi Junction along Bauchi Road witnessed a temporary closure as a result of a petrol tanker which was about to offload at a petrol station and thereafter lost control and over 15,000 litres of the fuel from the tanker spilt on the road, causing panic along the route.

“However, a combined team of men of the Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps,  Nigeria Police Force and other security agents were all on hand and the situation was brought under control.
“Their efforts prevented the spillage from causing further damage, as motorists were asked to take different routes to allow the tanker to complete the offloading before the road could be reopened for movement.”
The Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the state, Peter Yakubu, who also confirmed the incident, said the situation had been brought under control.

Yakubu said, “It was this morning that our men were alerted to a tanker which spilt fuel on the road at the Bauchi Road area in Jos after the driver lost control.”

Our men were immediately deployed to the area and men of the fire service were also called including other emergency responders. The affected road was barricaded to avoid any untoward incident and we were able to manage the situation. So, apart from the fuel spillage, nothing else happened and no life was lost. We thank God for everything.”

As of the time of filing this report, the Bauchi Junction road had been reopened and normal movement of vehicles and other road users were going about their normal business.