Bleak Wednesday in Kogi as Gas Tanker explosion kills entire family of five, about 30 others in Lokoja, burn several vehicles »

It is no doubt a bleak Wednesday in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State as a tanker explosion early hours of the morning killed about 40 persons including a family of five, primary school pupils, students of secondary schools and Kogi State Polytechnic among others.

Our reporter who rushed to the scene of the incident which took place at the notorious spot close to the NNPC mega station in felele, gathered that those who lost their lives also included a three year old girl who was celebrating her birthday on the day.

Vehicles, tricycles, and motorcycles were also burnt to hashes during the incident which also became rowdy as youths in the area became unruly as a result the reoccurrence of the accident.

Some residents of the area who spoke to our reporter expressed sadness and called on the government to take drastic action to address the continued reoccurrence in the area.

The resident noted that the accident was one too many and that many lives are usually affected on a regular basis, saying if something is not done on time, people in the area would end up taking laws in their own hands.

Speaking, James Omonile who stays in the area, expressed shock, saying even though accidents involving long vehicles conveying goods, especially petroleum products are used to having accidents in the area, that of Wednesday took the cake as many residents and students were affected.

Officials of the fire service and road safety who were on hand to assist the victims could not speak on the issue at the time of filing in this report, but our reporter saw them trying frantically to control the gridlock that was building in the area and trying to placate tempers flaring among the youth and other residents of the area.