Seventeen tricycles and two petrol tankers were destroyed following two separate fire outbreaks at filling stations in Kano State on Tuesday.
The Kano State Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Saminu Abdullahi, said the first incident occurred at AA Ayagi Filling Station in Kanye village along Gwarzo Road, Kabo Local Government Area, around 8:45 p.m.
“Our control room received an emergency alert at about 20:45 hours from one of our personnel, Muhammad Wada Abdulsalam, about a fire outbreak at AA Ayagi Filling Station on Gwarzo Road,” Abdullahi said in a statement on Wednesday.
He explained that firefighters from the Rijiyar Zaki division were swiftly dispatched to the scene.
“On arrival, our officers discovered a PMS tanker with registration number XPB 999 FA, owned by AA Ayagi Company, burning while offloading petrol,” Abdullahi stated.
He noted that two compartments of the tanker had already been discharged into the underground storage tank, while three other compartments containing about 5,000 litres of fuel were still being offloaded when the fire erupted, leading to the tanker’s total destruction.
Abdullahi added that the second fire incident occurred at Al-Wahida Nigeria Limited filling station at Rimin Kebe Karshen Kwalta in Nassarawa Local Government Area.
“The fire broke out during the offloading of petroleum products from a tanker belonging to BA Bello Company with registration number KHX 29 XA, which was conveying about 45,000 litres of fuel,” he said.
According to him, the inferno damaged the tanker head and part of its body, while 17 tricycles, popularly known as Adaidaita sahu, were completely burnt.
“By the grace of God, the fire was brought under control before it could spread further. Some of the petroleum products and parts of the tanker were salvaged,” Abdullahi noted.
In a related incident, another fire outbreak was recorded at Kundila Quarters near SALSA College, where a residential building was affected.
“The incident resulted in the destruction of one room, a toilet, and a corridor,” he said.
Reacting to the incidents, the Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Sani Anas, urged members of the public, especially filling station operators and tanker drivers, to adhere strictly to safety guidelines.
“Strict compliance with safety measures during fuel handling and offloading is crucial to preventing avoidable fire disasters,” Anas warned.