Some residents of Sabo Market, Orile Igbon, along the Ogbomoso-Ilorin expressway in Oyo State, allegedly attacked firefighters who were preventing them from siphoning fuel from a fallen tanker.
The incident occurred on the night of January 28, when the tanker, carrying 33,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), suffered a tire burst, causing a fuel spill and a subsequent fire. Firefighters from the Oyo State Fire Service responded first, followed by their colleagues from the Kwara State Fire Service, due to the proximity of the incident.
Hassan Adekunle, Head of Media and Publicity for the Kwara State Fire Service, confirmed the attack in a statement, condemning the assault. He stated that the firefighters were forced to take refuge at a police station for their safety.
The statement detailed that the Kwara State Fire Service responded to the emergency at 8:27 p.m. and immediately began efforts to contain the fire and prevent further escalation. More than 10,000 liters of PMS were safely siphoned into another tanker, preventing additional hazards. Fortunately, no lives were lost, and no injuries were reported.
During our investigation, it was confirmed that the incident was caused by a tire burst, which led to the tanker spill and the subsequent fire.
Before our arrival, the Oyo State Fire Service, Ogbomoso branch, had already responded to the emergency.
“However, it is deeply concerning that their personnel were violently attacked with stones, leading to severe damage to their fire truck, including a shattered windscreen. In the face of this hostility, they were forced to seek refuge at Owode Police Station,” he lamented.
The Director of the Kwara state fire service also condemned such attacks on firefighters and urged the public to desist from obstructing emergency responders.
“Any individual found guilty of assaulting fire service personnel will face the full weight of the law. Firefighters risk their lives to protect people and property, and any act of violence against them is unacceptable,” he said.
