In Nigeria, driver steers burning fuel tanker away from populated area — Premium Times Nigeria
In the city of Iwo in Osun State, Nigeria, 38-year-old fuel tanker driver Alagbe Hezekiah drove a burning tanker away from a filling station and a populated area to a riverbank. According to the driver, he made this decision to protect nearby people and property.
As Premium Times Nigeria reports, the fire broke out on Thursday when Hezekiah was to deliver petrol to a filling station in Iwo. He said the cause of the fire was unknown. The driver and other people initially tried to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher, but the flames quickly got out of control.
Evacuation of the fuel tanker
When the fire could not be contained, Hezekiah decided to drive the tanker away from the filling station premises. He headed it toward a riverbank opposite the Lado filling station at Feesu Junction. According to the driver, there were no people or property at that location that could have been harmed by the fire.
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At the riverbank, he detached the petrol tank from the truck, after which he drove the vehicle away from the burning tanker. Hezekiah admitted that he was afraid while driving, but considered the safety of other people more important than the risk to himself.
Calls to recognize the driver
Hezekiah has worked as a fuel tanker driver since 2004. He stated that in more than two decades of work he had not faced a similar situation and urged colleagues to be brave and respond quickly to emergencies.
In Facebook comments, readers called on the employer and authorities to recognize the driver. In particular, Kamal Adewunmi described his actions as an example of exceptional civic courage. The publication also mentioned that in 2022, driver Ejiro Otarigho in Delta State was rewarded with 3.2 million naira after he drove a burning truck away from a populated area.
