Residents attack officials with sticks, stones for preventing them scooping fuel from fallen tanker

Officials of the Oyo State Fire Service have been attacked by some residents who were trying to scoop fuel from a fallen tanker in Sabo Market, Orile Igbon, along the Ogbomoso-Ilorin Expressway.

It was gathered that the tanker heavily laden with 33,000 litres of fuel had its tyre burst on Wednesday, January 29 at Sabo Market.

This led to a spillage of oil at the scene of the incident with many resident rushing to scoop products from the fallen tanker.

However, the presence of firefighters at the location seemed to cause tension as residents were adamant and insisted on scooping the spilling product.

While the officials tried to explain to the residents that there is the possibility of a fire outbreak of the spillage whcih could be quite disastrous, the desperate residents took to fighting the officials at the scene.

It was gathered that the residents attacked the Oyo State firefighters with stones and sticks until their colleagues from the Kwara State Fire Service arrived.

The spokesperson for the Kware State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle said the fire truck of the of the Oyo State Fire Service team were destroyed by the residents.

Adekunle, “In the face of this hostility, they were forced to seek refuge at Owode Police Station.

“Through their swift and coordinated response, over 10,000 litres of PMS were safely siphoned into another tanker, minimizing potential hazards. Fortunately, no lives were lost.

“Any individual found guilty of assaulting fire service personnel will face the full weight of the law adding that firefighters risk their lives to protect people and property, and any act of violence against them is unacceptable,” he said.