The death toll of Sunday’s tragic petrol-laden tanker explosion at Ugbenu Koko Junction on the Warri-Benin Highway in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State has risen to 13 as volunteer rescuers continue to search for victims.
The tanker explosion recorded heavy casualties with goods, trucks, and vehicles burnt in the inferno.
It was a horrible sight on Monday at the scene of the tragedy close to the border between Delta and Edo States.
The police in Delta State on Sunday put the death toll at five based on the bodies that were deposited at the Oghara General Hospital but, the dead bodies around the scene of the incident as of Monday were eight.
Out of those who died it was gathered that were passengers in transit amongst them was a corps member who drowned in a close by River while fleeing to extinguish herself.
Some eyewitnesses told Our Correspondent that among those severely affected was a man who lost his wife and three in the explosion.
They explained that the man had led his family members to join in scooping the spilled petrol from the fallen tanker while he served as the one transporting the scooped fuel to an unknown destination.
He was not so lucky on one of his trips as he returned to see his family members consumed in the tanker explosion.
The eyewitnesses claimed that a corpse was buried at the scene because it was allegedly burnt beyond recognition.
Another respondent alleged that the driver of the affected tanker branded Danmarna Petroleum Limited with a carrying capacity of 16,000 litres ignited a spark with a lighter to scare those who had come to scoop petrol from the fallen tanker, thereby leading to the explosion.
They attributed the falling of the petrol tanker to the bad state of the Highway which has become an issue of public debate.
The Warri-Benin Highway is currently experiencing huge traffic congestion owing to the incident as well as more trucks falling by the side of the road.
This is one of the biggest tragedies to occur in recent times after the infamous Jesse pipeline explosion.
