A fuel tanker carrying 33,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) suffered a tire burst on January 28, 2025, at Sabo Market, Orile Igbon, along the Ogbomoso-Ilorin expressway in Oyo State, leading to a spill and subsequent fire outbreak. Firefighters from the Oyo State Fire Service’s Ogbomoso branch were the first to respond, followed by their counterparts from the Kwara State Fire Service due to proximity. Upon arrival, the firefighters initiated mitigation efforts, successfully siphoning over 10,000 liters of PMS into another tanker to minimize potential hazards. Fortunately, no lives were lost, and no injuries were reported.
However, during the operation, some residents attempted to siphon fuel from the spilled contents. When firefighters intervened to prevent this dangerous activity, they were met with hostility. The Oyo State Fire Service personnel were violently attacked with stones, leading to severe damage to their fire truck, including a shattered windscreen. In the face of this hostility, they were forced to seek refuge at Owode Police Station.
The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service strongly condemned such attacks on firefighters and urged the public to desist from obstructing emergency responders. He emphasized that any individual found guilty of assaulting fire service personnel would face the full weight of the law. Firefighters risk their lives to protect people and property, and any act of violence against them is unacceptable.
