By Frank Kamuntu
A massive, fiery carnage on the East-West Road in Rivers State has destroyed more than dozens of vehicles, scourged goods worth estimated billions, and claimed at least five lives.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who visited the scene of the devastating tragedy on Saturday, confirmed five deaths and 120 burnt vehicles.
It is expected that emergency officials will provide more details subsequently on the full extent of the damage caused by the raging inferno.
The devastating incident happened on Friday night along the Eleme axis of the road, which has long been neglected, increasing motorists’ risks.
Reports suggest that the tragedy was triggered when a tanker, navigating the dilapidated road, was hit by another heavy-duty vehicle, igniting flames and an explosion.
The ensuing inferno engulfed at least 120 vehicles on the road at the time, with some occupants trapped and unable to escape the fire, which spread rapidly.
Videos and witness accounts shared on social media paint a harrowing picture.
One of the videos posted on Facebook by Egwunyenga Victor Ifechukwu showed up to 11 vehicles, including four trucks, on fire.
The video had a narrative by a man who said the fire almost engulfed a car he was in with his friend.
“This is colossal damage,” he said over the video, showing vehicles engulfed in flames.
Distraught voices could be heard in the background, decrying the massive destruction they were witnessing. Some were shocked to see such a scale of destruction.
The witness and some others were outraged at the pace of emergency response.
“You can imagine. For hours, no fire service…,” he said, wondering how in 21st Century Nigeria and for an incident so close to Port Harcourt, the Rivers capital, help did not come promptly.
Amid the chaos and lamentation, some people made last-ditch efforts to save their vehicles. At one point a driver managed to drive out from in between two burning vehicles with some screaming in fear that he won’t make it.
“I cried so badly because (goods worth) millions were burnt down, and many trucks loaded with cleared goods by Nigerian Customs from the wharf, trucks with other goods, company staff bus with staff going back home from office, and commercial buses from Cross Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State, and other parts were caught in the inferno,” another witness wrote of the tragedy.
Governor Fubara Visits
Early on Saturday, around 8 am, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, visited the scene, accompanied by the Commissioner for Police, Olatunji Disu, and the Commissioner for Energy, Maximus Nwafor.
Videos from the scene that morning provided more information about the blaze and the damage done. More than 120 vehicles were razed with the charred remains of some of the victims trapped in them. There were some bodies along the road, and in a nearby drainage.
After inspecting the devastating site, Governor Fubara directed security agencies to conduct a thorough assessment of the accidents to facilitate the provision of aid to victims’ families.
“From what we are seeing this morning, it was not a very pleasant case,” said the governor who said he was informed about the fire around 8 pm on Friday.
“I got the information through the MD of Indorama (a petrochemical company located along the road) and immediately alerted the security agencies.
“We recorded, from what I am seeing, a huge number of vehicles being destroyed and souls lost. I have already asked the security agencies to give us a full brief so that we can come into the situation fully by seeing how much we can support the families of the bereaved, and how we can cushion the effect of the losses.”
He also lamented the deteriorating condition of the Eleme section of the East-West road.
“We all know the situation of this road; it is really unfortunate. Most of our people when plying this road do so with caution,” he said.
The Eleme axis of the East-West road has been notorious for its hazardous conditions, prompting repeated protests from concerned citizens demanding urgent repairs.
While the Federal Government recently initiated the rehabilitation of the road, the pace of work has been criticised as slow.
