A massive fireball ripped through a bustling market in Nigeria after a petrol tanker overturned and locals scrambled to collect the spilled fuel, leaving at least eight people with severe burns and reducing shops, stalls and vehicles to charred wreckage.
Dramatic footage shows dense black smoke billowing high over Oluku Market near Benin City in Edo State, as crowds of residents stand amid the chaos watching the blaze consume parts of the market and nearby vehicles. Twisted metal, collapsed market structures and a burnt-out truck are visible in the aftermath.
The incident began on Thursday morning, October 15, when a petrol tanker fell while attempting a U-turn near the market along the busy Benin-Lagos road in Ovia North-East Local Government Area. Fuel poured onto the road and into nearby drainage channels, drawing residents with jerrycans and containers who rushed to scoop the product despite the obvious risks.
Hours later, around 11:50 a.m., the tanker exploded while efforts were underway to transfer the remaining fuel into another truck. Flames raced through the spill, engulfing market stalls built over the drains, shops, and vehicles including two buses, an Audi saloon car and a truck. Goods and sections of the market were also destroyed, though the full financial cost of the damage remains unclear.
The Edo State Police Command confirmed that eight people sustained varying degrees of burns in the explosion. The injured were rushed to the Emergency Ward of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where the Chief Medical Director, Professor Idia Ize-Iyamu, led emergency teams working across the accident and burns units to stabilise victims.
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander Preye Ezekiel Bedford stated that no deaths had been officially recorded as of late Thursday, while confirming around 10 casualties. However, some witnesses and local reports claimed higher figures, including possible fatalities and a soldier among those affected, with bodies allegedly taken to the hospital mortuary. Officials have stressed that the full toll is still being assessed as debris is cleared.
Police deployed officers including the Ekiadolor Divisional Police Officer, the Area Commander and deputy commissioners for operations and investigation to the scene. They worked alongside military personnel, FRSC officers, and both state and federal fire services to control the blaze, evacuate the public and prevent further fuel scooping. The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers’ emergency team also assisted with the fuel transfer before the explosion.
Local officials, including the Chairman of Ovia North-East LGA, Orobosa Eriamiatoe, and the Aiyobahan of Benin, Chief Osamede, visited the site to assess the destruction and console affected traders and residents. Some locals criticised the emergency response, saying firefighters were slow to arrive after the tanker fell around 7 a.m.
Authorities have issued strong warnings against the dangerous practice of scooping fuel from accident scenes, noting that some residents even confronted security personnel trying to keep them away. The habit has repeatedly led to deadly incidents across Nigeria.
As firefighters continued efforts to fully extinguish the remaining flames and clear the area, residents and traders were left counting the cost of the inferno that turned a routine road accident into a scene of destruction.
A note on comments: Our advertisers enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy on racism, hate speech, and threats of violence. Any comment that crosses that line will be removed and the account permanently banned — no warnings. Debate hard, but keep it civil.