Gas Explosion: EKSG Orders Removal, Seizure of Abandoned Tanker At Accident Scene

By Gabriel Olawale

The Ekiti State government has ordered the removal and seizure of an abandoned tanker involved in an accident over an incidence / occurrence of gas explosion which occurred at Igede Ekiti in Irepodun / Ifelodun local government area of Ekiti State.

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The Ekiti State government took the decision to remove the abandoned tanker to avoid further explosion that could cause colossal loss of lives and properties hence the immediate ordering of its removal and confiscation of the said Gas Tanker abandoned at an accident scene at Igede Ekiti, in the  Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government area of the State.

The Government, also directed the security agencies to ascertain the owner of the articulated vehicle conveying the gas-laden tank that was abandoned since Friday along Igede-Iyin Road, which  poses serious danger to the  people.

Handing down the order during a visit to the accident site on Monday, the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, said Governor Biodun Oyebanji was deeply worried by the abandonment of the tank in the residential area for days without prompt action taken to evacuate it.

Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, said the Governor’s expectation was that the owners ought to have evacuated the inflammable substance from the accident portion few hours after the accident, but lamented that such action was not contemplated.

The Deputy Governor said the State Government had deployed fire fighters to the portion to be on guard and avert any untoward situation.

She said the removal and confiscation became the best option to prevent unwarranted loss of precious lives of the people, since the owners could not be ascertained as of the time of the visit.

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The Deputy Governor directed the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Babatola Ogundana to get another articulated truck and work with other experts and remove the inflammable substance from its present scene with immediate effect.

She said; “We thank God that no explosion accompanied the accident despite that this substance is highly inflammable. But it was bad for the owners to have left it here for days without thinking of the implications of his action.

“The Governor was worried and that informed his action that fire fighting truck should be stationed at the scene of the accident, because as the tank gets hotter, the possibility of it exploding is very high and that could be dangerous to our people and their property.

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“The safety of our people is of priority to this administration and we won’t take chances with this. The Chairman should work with experts and remove the tank from here within the next few hours, that was the instruction of Mr. Governor”.

Mrs Afuye commended the Council boss for promptly informing the police and the Department of State Services about the incident, saying the agencies will investigate and unravel the identities of the owners.

In his response, the Council Chairman, Hon Ogundana and the lawmaker representing Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency 1 in the House of Assembly,Hon Femi Akindele, said the landlords and motorists, had been gripped with fear, since the accident  occured last Friday.

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Akindele said the truck had the accident while trying to ascend the hilly portion of Igede-Iyin road, and that he said accounted for why it fell along the roadside.

“We are all worried here. Even the residents and leaders of Igede are worried. They were not really happy about why the owners abandoned this dangerous and inflammable substance here for days. To us, this is insensitive and callous.

“We thank the Government of Ekiti State for taking this prompt action. This I believe will help in averting serious crisis here. Lives of the people should be  very precious to any government and that is exactly what Governor Biodun Oyebanji has demonstrated here.

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“We are assuring him that all the stakeholders will work together to carry out his instruction for the sake of all of us”.

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