Six die in Kaduna fuel station fire

Six persons were feared dead and seven others seriously injured in a fire outbreak at a filling station in Kaduna on Saturday night.
Fifteen vehicles were also burnt in the inferno that gutted the filling station in Unguwar Ma'azu, Kaduna, which occurred when a truck was discharging petrol.
The Assistant Manager of Fasada/NNPC Mega Filling Station, Alhaji Jibrin Musa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Kaduna that the incident happened when one of the trucks was offloading Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol.

He said that: "The adaptor was not properly fixed which split the fuel on ground and some fuel hawkers came to scoop the product.
"One of the motorists, who was on the queue waiting to buy the product, wanted to remove his car; he started his vehicle and the fire started. About 15 vehicles were burnt to ashes, which include 11 private and commercial cars, two Keke NAPEP (tricycles), one tanker and a tipper.

"You can see that the filling station is all burnt; it even affected a nearby filling station. The Fire Service was there on time to check the fire.
"They helped a lot and people also helped to stop the fire,'' Musa said.

The Manager of Shemaco Filling Station, which is close to the NNPC Mega Station, Malam Nafi'u Inusa, said that the outlet was also affected by the fire incident, with four of the dispenser pumps burnt.

"It is very unfortunate that this happened. There is nothing we can do about it. May the souls of those that died rest in perfect peace and those that sustained injuries, we wish them quick recovery,'' Inusa said.

When contacted, the Kaduna State Director of Fire, Mr Paul Abio, who confirmed the incident, said that the fire fighters rescued those that were trapped.

The incident came barely three weeks after the Kaduna State Security Council banned the sale of petroleum products in jerry cans.

Among the victims were three fuel hawkers who stormed the station to scoop the spilled fuel.

A worker in the affected station said that, "three yet to be identified persons who lost their lives were burnt beyond recognition; five others were rushed to Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital while six others were rushed to Algarkawy Hospital for treatment."

When contacted, Governor Nasir el-Rufai's spokesman, Samuel Aruwan said: "The governor received the news with shock and expressed heartfelt condolences on behalf of the government and people of Kaduna State to the families of those that lost their lives. The governor prays God to grant them eternal rest and their families, relations and associates the fortitude to bear the unfortunate passing away of their loved ones."

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