TWO separate fire outbreaks at filling stations in Kano State have destroyed two petrol tankers and 17 tricycles, with no casualties reported.
The Kano State Fire Service said the first incident occurred around 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday at AA Ayagi Filling Station in Kanye village along Gwarzo Road in Kabo Local Government Area.
According to the service’s Public Relations Officer, Saminu Abdullahi, firefighters from the Rijiyar Zaki division were deployed after an emergency alert was received.
On arrival, officers found a petrol tanker belonging to AA Ayagi Company engulfed in flames while offloading fuel.
Abdullahi explained that although two compartments of the tanker had already been emptied into an underground storage facility, three remaining compartments containing about 5,000 litres of fuel were still being discharged when the fire broke out, leading to the complete destruction of the tanker.
The second fire occurred at Al-Wahida Nigeria Limited filling station in Rimin Kebe Karshen Kwalta, Nassarawa Local Government Area, during the offloading of fuel from a tanker owned by BA Bello Company.
The tanker, which was transporting about 45,000 litres of petroleum products, sustained damage to its head and part of its body, while 17 tricycles parked at the station were completely burnt.
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze before it spread further, salvaging some of the fuel and parts of the tanker.
In a related incident, another fire outbreak was reported at Kundila Quarters near SALSA College, where a residential building suffered damage to a room, toilet and corridor.
Reacting to the incidents, the Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Sani Anas, urged filling station operators and tanker drivers to strictly adhere to safety precautions during fuel handling and offloading to prevent avoidable fire disasters.