Hope Ajayi 
EDO, Nigeria – At least four people were reportedly killed and several others injured after a petrol tanker caught fire at Oluku along the Benin-Lagos Highway in Edo State on Thursday, with the blaze destroying vehicles, shops and a market after residents gathered to scoop fuel from the fallen tanker.
The incident occurred at about 7.30am in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, according to reports, after the tanker fell on the road and people converged on the scene to collect petrol. The situation turned deadly when the tanker burst into flames, spreading the fire to nearby vehicles, commercial properties and a market reportedly owned by businessman Chief Osamede Adun, popularly known as Bob Izua.
The full number of casualties and the extent of the damage had not been officially confirmed at the time of reporting. A shop owner whose business is opposite the scene said security personnel had attempted to stop people from scooping fuel but were unable to prevent them from approaching the tanker.
The witness said the fire broke out while residents were collecting petrol and that four people had been counted among the dead, including a soldier. However, the reported casualty figure had yet to receive official confirmation.
Another survivor said he narrowly escaped after a soldier warned him about the danger of approaching the tanker. He said the tanker caught fire shortly after he turned around to look at the vehicle, forcing people around the scene to flee.
Reports indicated that two men from northern Nigeria who were directly beneath the tanker sustained fatal burns. Shops constructed along a drainage channel were also reportedly destroyed as the fire spread through the area.
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Mirian Gom 
