One of the survivors in the Jigawa tanker explosion which occurred on Tuesday and claimed 168 lives, Sabitu Yahaya, has narrated how friction from two metals at the scene of the incident ignited fire which resulted in the explosion.
Sabitu while explaining what led to the explosion said contrary to the claim that the explosion was caused by fire from matchsticks, friction by two metals taken to the scene by those who had gone to scoop fuel led to the explosion.
He also explained how he narrowly escaped death but suffered burnt from his knees to his legs as well as lost two siblings to the fire.
He said he had gone to the scene to search for his brothers in order to stop them from joining people scooping fuel from the fallen tanker but unfortunately she was caught up by the explosion.
“I fell victim when I went in search of my younger ones to drag them away from the scene. Although there were people who took advantage of the situation to scoop fuel, many of us were there to warn our relations because we know the implications. But we got trapped on getting there.
“I was a bit far away from the scene, so I only got burnt from my knees down to my legs because the petrol splashed around on the ground.
“The fire was never ignited by match sticks as nobody went there with matches; it was caused by frictions from metals used by the people to fetch the petrol.
“In my family, we lost two while three of us were in the hospital bed. I got burnt from my knees down to my legs,” he said.
The federal government, through the Secretary to the Federal Government, SGF, George Akume has however ordered the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, to carry out an investigation into the incident
Akume was in Jigawa to commiserate with the state government and conveyed the condolences of the President to the governor.
He lamented the huge number of casualties vowing that government officials who failed to carry out their duties in preventing the explosion will not go unpunished.
