In Onitsha, a fire has engulfed a petrol station.

In Onitsha, a fire has engulfed a petrol station.

FastNews reports that a petrol station near the Boromeo Roundabout in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra, was destroyed by fire on Sunday evening. According to a witness, a petrol-laden tanker exploded and burst into flames while waiting for the fuel to be discharged.

According to an eyewitness, heavy traffic on Awka Road in the city delayed the arrival of firefighters, who later battled to put out the raging inferno. DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, a spokesman for the Anambra Police Command, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria.

He stated that police officers from the Inland Town Divisional Headquarters in Onitsha had arrived at the scene and cordoned it off to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the incident and looting.

Ikenga said preliminary investigation revealed that the truck caught fire inside the fuel station while awaiting to have its content offloaded. He said the cause of the explosion, the extent of damage, and a number of casualties has yet to be ascertained.