3 feared dead as fuel tanker explodes in Ibadan.

AT least three persons were feared dead on Tuesday while another five sustained severe burns at Orogun Junction, on the Iwo road/Ojoo expressway when a Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) petrol tanker trying to offload fuel suddenly exploded and caught fire.
The three victims were said to have died as the fuel burst into the area andexploded, burning properties and human beings along its path.
Two Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) parked around the area and about eight shops were also torched by the raging inferno.
It was gathered that the situation got out of hand when the Oyo State Fire Service that had stormed the scene ran out of water and had to wait for another vehicle for water.
It was learnt further that while the service was still waiting for water, the fire went wild and engulfed the surrounding shops and some other houses around, including some vehicles parked on the road.
The five injured persons who sustained serious burns were rushed to the hospital with an Oyo State ambulance dispatched to the scene.
Heavy smoke covered the area as most shops and car owners who packedtheir vehicles close to the scene made frantic efforts to move their vehiclesaway for fear of being burnt.
Dr Ayo Osisanwo, an eye witness, told newsmen that the incident started when an NNPC truck was offloading fuel from another NNPC truck whichhad mechanical fault and had broken down in the middle of the road around 11.00 a.m.
According to him, the inferno started in the process of technical transfer ofthe fuel to an empty tanker when the tanker with fuel suddenly caught fire.
The situation caused heavy traffic snarl as only one lane was used by motorists, just as men of the Nigerian Police and men of Nigerian Civil Defence Corps had a difficult time controlling the traffic.
Hoodlums also took advantage of the situation to steal the property of victims, having escaped from the scene to avoid getting caught in the inferno.
Another eyewitness who did not want his name in print said: An NNPC tanker was trying to offload fuel from the other one that fell off by the road side. Suddenly, the loaded one caught fire and the driver tried hard todrive it away from the one already burning. He was successful and later jumped out of the vehicle after the rescue."
Cosmetics company razed by fire
There was confusion between early hours of Tuesday morning and late in the evening as a cosmetic manufacturing company went up in flames around Ile Epo Oja in Lagos State.
Millions of naira worth of chemicals and finished hair relaxer were burnt in the fire incident, that created serious confusion for traders at the popularOke Odo Market.
The company, Franem Industries, situated at 10/12, Old Ota Road, a heavily populated environment, is the manufacturers of Petals Cosmetics.
It was gathered that the fire started from the company's three-storey building warehouse, where chemicals and hair relaxer were stored.
Efforts by officials of the Lagos State and Federal Fire Service and emergency workers to put out the fire was unsuccessful until around 1.00 p.m. of Tuesday.
Emergency workers were yet to leave the scene of the fire incident when another explosion occurred following the collapse of the burnt store.
It took fire fighters another four hours before they finally put out the fire as it was difficult for them to get access into debris of the collapse wall.
Officials of the state government were around 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday demolishing the remaining part of the store in what had been described as a precautionary step against further collapse of the store on nearby buildings
The spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune stated that the cause of the fire incident was still unknown.
Farinloye said that the fire started around 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday morning and that NEMA and other emergency workers arrived at the scene but were unable to put out the fire until around 1.00 p.m.