Esther Salifu
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department has said a Fire accident occurred when the driver of a CNG truck lost control and collided with other vehicles, leading to an explosion near Karu Bridge situated between Kugbo and Nyanya on the Abuja Keffi Expressway.
The agency confirmed the incident, stating that the explosion occurred at around 7:14 pm on Wednesday.
FEMD’s Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, said the ghastly motor accident occurred at the Karu bridge between Kugbo and Nyanya in the FCT.
“The accident, which occurred at about 7.14 on Wednesday evening, involved a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) truck and other vehicles.
The Head of Forecasting Response and Mitigation division of FEMA, Mr Mark Nyam, said the accident occurred when the driver of the CNG truck lost control on the bridge there by running into other motorists and leading to an explosion.
He noted that the search and rescue teams of the FEMD, the Federal Fire Service, the FCT Fire Service, the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Emergency Management Agency, were on the ground to rescue the casualties.
The Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNG) noted that the initial report suggest the involvement of a Bi-Fueled Petrol Tanker.
The body urged the public to await the outcome of a thorough investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident. “Preliminary accounts indicate a possible brake system failure leading to the explosion of the petrol storage tank, but it is crucial to avoid speculation until all facts are established.
The PCNG Initiative also restated its commitment to promoting safe and sustainable use of CNG as a cleaner energy .
“We will continue to work closely with relevant authorities, including the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Fire Service, and other stakeholders, to ensure that safety standards are upheld and incidents like this are prevented in the future”
