The Federal Road Safety Corps, on Sunday, blamed two tanker drivers struggling for space on the Eleme section of the East-West Road in Rivers State for the tragedy that occurred on Friday night in Rivers State.

The PUNCH reports five people were confirmed dead and over 70 cars burnt in the tanker explosion which occurred at the Eleme section of the East-West Road.

An eyewitness, who gave his name as Baridi, told our correspondent that the incident happened when a heavy-duty truck collided with a petrol-laden tanker, spilling its contents and bursting into flames.

The fire spread and consumed a long stretch of vehicles held in gridlock along the Akpajo-Onne Road.

Speaking in Port Harcourt, on Sunday, the Sector Commander of the Rivers State Command of the FRSC, Chris Kuje, said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the incident happened on the Eleme end of the East-West Road which is currently under renovation.

“Two truck drivers were jostling for space when their vehicles collided sideways, causing a rupture in the trailer of one truck carrying petroleum, which resulted in petrol leaking on the road and igniting into fire explosion.”

Kuje said officials of the FRSC deployed on the scene controlled the traffic and created a diversion through the Oyigbo area as an alternative route to ease congestion.

He said following the directive of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the corps mobilised Indorama Petrochemical, which provided cranes that successfully removed all the trucks blocking the road on Saturday morning.

“The carcasses were also evacuated by low bed trucks provided by the same company and taken to the Military Hospital in Port Harcourt,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum have condoled with the families of the victims of the fire incident.

The President, in a statement by his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, on Sunday, directed federal agencies in the state to continue liaising with the Rivers State government to provide immediate support to all victims of the incident.

Tinubu expressed confidence that stricter safety regulations for the transportation of petroleum products would be implemented to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Also, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum and Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, speaking on behalf of the governors at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Sunday, described the incident as a huge loss.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, quoted Abdulrazak as saying: “I came over to commiserate with the government and people of Rivers State over the tanker fire incident and the subsequent huge loss of lives. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.

“We have peer review discussions over it and a similar incident happened in Ogun State as well, which you are aware of, and that’s a CNG tanker. Rivers State was a petrol tanker.

“We also spoke with the head of the downstream petroleum regulatory agency and there will be a review of some laws. There will also be engagement between the agency and state agencies in terms of ensuring health and safety on these issues.

“As you know, Nigeria relies a lot, virtually, on pipelines for the movement of petroleum products, and we need to strengthen regulations in that sector, and also emphasise improving and expanding pipelines for the transportation of products as well.”