No fewer than 20 people were feared dead while many others sustained serious injuries as a result of an inferno at Bode-Saadu, the headquarters of Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State on Tuesday.
Though, some residents, who witnessed the accident, told journalists that the number of casualties might increase, the Kwara State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mrs. Mary Wakawa, said four people died while four victims sustained injuries and were being treated at a hospital.
The residents, who claimed the fire was still raging, believed that the accurate number of the dead would be ascertained when the fire subsided.
Our correspondent gathered that the fire was caused by an accident involving a petrol-laden tanker.
An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said the accident occurred at about 9.30pm on Monday when the truck fell while trying to negotiate a bad portion of the road.
He stated that the truck crashed and burst into flames. He added that the petrol conveyed by the tanker poured out and spread to nearby houses.
According to him, the fire raged for many hours and destroyed houses, shops and cows valued at millions of naira.
Wakawa confirmed that the accident and the resultant inferno happened about 9.30pm on Monday.
She added that FRSC officials rushed to the scene as soon as they were alerted.
The Public Relations Officer of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Mr. Hassan Kadiri, said four of the injured victims had been brought to the hospital as of the time of filling the story.
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