69 Dead as Petrol Tanker Catches Fire In Asaba Motor Park.

The Scene of the Accident.

69 persons are believed to have been burnt to death on Sunday evening when a trailer loaded with Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol, descending from Army barracks side of Onitsha Enugu expressway, lost control and rammed into the Asaba Motor Park at Upper Iwekas Onitsha, then exploded. 

Eleven commuter buses and two motorcycles loading in the Asaba Park Onitsha including the 40 foot trailer tanker, laden with petrol were burnt beyond recognition inside the park.

The state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano and one of State Commissioners, when they visited the scene of the accident, wept on seeing the number of casualties. The Governor condoled with the relations of the victims and promised that the state will help in ensuring that the living victims are well taken care of in different hospitals which they have been receiving treatments.

The Nigerian Red Cross Society officials were spotted at the scene of the incident shortly after the news of the explosion took to the air in the area. 

Speaking at the scene of the accident, the Chairman of the Red Cross Society, Anambra State,  Prof Peter Emeka Kathy  said “we have sixty nine burnt to dead persons as at now, there are other 30 casualties, a casualty is a living person, a dead person is no longer a casualty, so 69 persons are dead, and they have been evacuated to various mortuaries in Onitsha, from Toronto to St Charles Boromneo Mortuaries and others in town”.