Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Thursday, called for immediate assessment of the cause of the petroleum product tanker explosion, which razed down no fewer than 25 houses and destroyed valuables worth millions of naira in Ohoror community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.
Okowa made the call when he visited the scene of the incident.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night in the community located along Warri-Portharcout Expressway, reportedly claimed two lives in the two trucks involved in the explosion.
The governor commiserated with the community on the tragedy and gave assurance that government would take steps to cushion the effect of the inferno on victims.
Okowa who was accompanied by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Sherrif Oborevwori and Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah, commended the Fire Service for its prompt response and advised the community to keep off the fire scene, in addition to being vigilant to avoid loss of lives.
According to him, government was working hard to contain the spread of the explosion.
Briefing the governor earlier, the state’s Director of Fire Services, Mr Eugene Oziwele, said his men were alerted at dawn and he quickly mobilized to the community.
He added that fire-fighting trucks were mobilized from Ughelli to ensure that the fire was extinguished completely.
Also briefing the governor, President-General of Uwheru Kingdom, Chief Macpherson Igbedi, said no fewer than 20 houses were gutted by the fire and appealed for more efforts in evacuating an abandoned tanker laden with gas from exploding.
He said two trucks conveying gas and diesel rammed into each other at the Ohoror junction before the explosion occurred.
The Chairman of Ughelli North Council, Chief Godwin Adode, was on hand to conduct the governor round the affected area.
