Two petrol Stations which were on Sunday night raze by fire in the commercial city of Onitsha in Anambra State, have been seized by the state government.
It was gathered that the fire which started at Silver Oil Petrol Station, later extended to Chris Tee oil, razing down the stations. No life was lost in the inferno which started at about 8pm, sources said.
The state police command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga confirmed the incident, in a press release he signed and issued to journalists.
Ikenga said: “At about 8pm, information was received at Inland Police Station Onitsha, that there was a fire outbreak at Silver filling station, along the Onitsha/Enugu expressway by Awka Road, Onitsha.
“An unconfirmed source had it that a truck laden with petroleum product caught fire inside the filling station while awaiting discharge
“The DPO Inland Town Police Station quickly contacted the Fire Service, and equally went to the scene with Police operatives, who cordoned it off in order to mitigate casualty and prevent hoodlums taking advantage of the scenario to loot.”
He said the immediate or remote cause of the fire incident, casualty level and value of damage done are yet to be formally determined, but sources told our correspondent that no life was lost in the incident.
Announcing the confiscation of the properties, Governor Willie Obiano who visited the two scene of the incident inspected the level of damage caused by the fire incident, while frowning at the nonchalant attitude of some petroleum station owners in siting gas plants and fuel stations at same location.
Obiano said: “We thank God because no life was lost during the fire incident. I also want to commend the Anambra State fire service and other security agencies for their timely response.
“I have however directed the immediate sealing off of both fuel stations, and ordered that it be taken over by the state government,” Obiano said.
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