From Chuks Moses, in Onitsha
Late afternoon fire explosion involving a tanker fully loaded with petrol at the Upper Iweka/Oçhanja road intersection area of Onitsha has wreaked havoc in the commercial city.
Though police is yet to confirm the casualty figure,but an eye witness account said a nursing mother and her child were burnt to death.. Thee were other reports of deaths in the incident. Properties were destroyed. A three storey residence, shops and other houses were completely razed to the ground, as some looters chose to benefit from the carnage.
Already,the fire has been brought under control with the timely arrival of security agencies, Red Cross officers led by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr John Abang. Other reports said the fire continued to rage in some places at press time on Wednesday evening.