A fuel-laden tanker burst into flames at the A. A. Rano filling station in Hannun Riga, near General Hospital, Kontagora, the headquarters of Kontagora Local Government Area (LGA) in Niger State.
The station, located just a few meters from the ‘B’ Division of the Nigeria Police in Kontagora, caught fire around 7 PM on Sunday while Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, was being offloaded from the tanker.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire ignited during the offloading process, sparking fears of escalation as other fuel storage tanks at the station remained filled.
“Fire Service personnel are working tirelessly to contain the blaze, but the situation remains critical as the fire continues to spread,” Abba Mohammed, one of the witnesses quoted by an online post, said.
Although no casualties were reported, panic ensued as residents and passersby fled the area for safety.
Attempts to reach the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullah Baba Arah, for comments were unsuccessful, as his phone line was unreachable.
