At least 20 persons were reportedly b¥rnt to death on Sunday morning, October 1, while scooping fuel from a fallen tanker on the failed Benin-Sapele road.
More than 20 cars was also reportedly burnt down after the tanker, which was laden with about 30,000 litres of fuel, exploded between Ologbo and Koko-Ugbenu roads in Edo and Delta States respectively.
It was gathered that the tanker fell and spilled its contents on the road and some persons rushed to scoop fuel despite being warned by drivers and security men who had stormed the scene after they learnt of the accident.
An eyewitness who spoke with DailyTrust said: “We tried to prevent them but the youths threatened to b£at us up telling us it’s their community. They came in their numbers carrying all sorts of containers; and when the expl%sion happened around 12:15 am this morning we all fled.
You can see d£ad bodies on the ground, some of them ran into the forest. As I speak some d£ad bodies have been removed, I counted over 20 bodies.”
Graphic videos obtained show several d£ad bodies, b¥rnt beyond recognition, laying on the floor. Several vehicles, including buses and trucks, were also burnt.
