Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
A petrol tanker fire outbreak in Edo State has killed at least four people, including a soldier, and left ten others with severe burns after residents rushed to scoop fuel from an overturned vehicle. The tragedy unfolded on Thursday along the Benin-Lagos Expressway in Oluku, Ovia North-East Local Government Area, when a tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit fell at about 7:30 a.m. and spilled its contents onto the road. The fire outbreak that followed hours later consumed a popular market, destroyed several vehicles, and left a community in mourning.
Witnesses said the tanker overturned in the morning, drawing residents who rushed to the scene with jerrycans to collect the spilt petrol. Efforts by security agencies to disperse the crowd failed, according to a shop owner whose business stands opposite the scene. People continued scooping fuel for hours despite the obvious danger. Then, at about 1 p.m., the tanker suddenly burst into flames. The fire spread rapidly, consuming the Bob Izua market along the highway, shops built on drainage channels, and vehicles parked in the vicinity. Some motorists who drove against traffic were also caught in the inferno.
One survivor, who asked not to be named, described how a soldier saved his life moments before the fire outbreak. He had been among those scooping fuel when the soldier warned him to step back, pointing out that the intense sunlight and the pace at which people were moving around the leaking tanker created a serious ignition risk. As he turned to look back, the tanker went up in flames. Two men from northern Nigeria who were directly beneath the tanker at the moment of the outbreak died at the scene. The survivor said he owed his life to the soldier's intervention.
Emergency services responded swiftly. Ten victims with severe burns were rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where the Chief Medical Director, Professor Idia Ize-Iyamu, personally coordinated the emergency response across the accident, emergency, and burns units. Hospital staff worked to stabilise the critically injured and minimise fatalities. The Edo State Fire Service deployed personnel to battle the inferno and prevent it from spreading further, while security operatives and other responders participated in rescue and evacuation efforts.
The human toll was compounded by extensive property damage. The Bob Izua market, owned by prominent businessman Chief Osamede Adun, was razed. Shops erected along drainage channels near the scene were destroyed. Several vehicles were burnt beyond recognition. The fire's rapid spread left traders and residents fleeing for their lives, with some victims reportedly burnt beyond recognition. The exact number of fatalities remained unconfirmed as of Thursday evening, with officials cautioning that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continued.
The tragedy drew immediate reactions from political and civic leaders. The Edo State All Progressives Congress Campaign Council expressed deep sorrow, with its Director of Media, John Mayaki, describing the incident as heartbreaking. "Our hearts go out to the families affected by this unfortunate tragedy. We share in their grief and pray that Almighty God grants them the strength to bear their losses," Mayaki said. He added that no family deserves to lose a loved one in such painful circumstances, and no parent should have to bury a child. The council commended Professor Ize-Iyamu and the medical personnel at UBTH for their swift and coordinated response, describing their efforts as deserving of public recognition.
Mayaki also criticised attempts to politicise the tragedy. He cited a social media post attributed to a Benin-based lawyer that appeared to link the fire outbreak to the visit of Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. "What exactly is the connection between a tanker fire outbreak and the First Lady's visit? Is a fire outbreak now a welcome ceremony?" Mayaki queried. He stressed that human suffering should never be politicised, irrespective of the political party governing the state or country. "A tragedy is a tragedy, whether it happens under an APC, PDP or ADC administration," he said, urging political actors to put compassion above partisan differences.
The Oluku fire outbreak is the latest in a long and grim series of fuel tanker disasters on Nigerian roads. The pattern is painfully familiar: a tanker overturns, residents rush to scoop the spilt fuel, and a spark ignites a firestorm that kills and maims. Despite repeated warnings from safety agencies and emergency responders, the practice persists, driven by economic hardship and the desperate value of free fuel. In December 2025, a similar incident in Auchi, Edo State, left 25 people injured after multiple fire outbreaks triggered by a fuel tanker accident. Videos circulating on social media at the time showed residents scooping spilled fuel shortly before the blasts.
The recurring nature of these tragedies raises uncomfortable questions about enforcement, public education, and the economic pressures that push ordinary Nigerians to risk their lives for a few litres of petrol. Security agencies at the Oluku scene attempted to stop residents from scooping fuel, but their efforts failed. The crowd overwhelmed the responders, and the consequences were catastrophic. Whether the tragedy will prompt a meaningful shift in public behaviour or official policy remains uncertain. What is clear is that four families are grieving, ten people are fighting for their lives in hospital, and a market that sustained livelihoods has been reduced to ashes.
For the community of Oluku, Thursday's fire outbreak is a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the high cost of a dangerous habit that refuses to die. The fire has been extinguished, but the scars, both physical and psychological, will linger long after the smoke clears. As investigations continue and the injured receive treatment, the question that hangs over Edo State is simple and urgent: how many more lives must be lost before the scooping stops?
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