By Peace Orjiani
The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has successfully brought under control a fire outbreak involving a petroleum tanker at AYM Shafa Filling Station in Area 3, Garki, Abuja, preventing what could have been a major disaster in the Federal Capital Territory.
The incident occurred during the discharge of approximately 60,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from a fuel tanker at the filling station located along Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti Way, beside the FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) office.
According to the Federal Fire Service, the fire spread to part of the adjoining three-storey FCT-IRS building before firefighters successfully contained the blaze using multiple firefighting appliances, medium water jets and foam compounds.
Four adult males sustained varying degrees of injuries during the incident. They were immediately evacuated by a National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) ambulance to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The Fire Service later confirmed that all four victims received treatment and have since been discharged.
In a statement issued by the Service’s spokesperson, Deputy Controller of Fire (DCF) P.O. Abraham, the agency confirmed that the situation had been completely brought under control.
The statement noted that the Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, personally led the emergency response as Incident Commander, remaining at the scene until the early hours of Friday to supervise firefighting operations and ensure there was no further risk.
Following a comprehensive inspection of the affected area, firefighters confirmed that the fire had been completely extinguished, with no additional casualties recorded. All responding personnel and firefighting equipment safely returned to their stations after the operation.
The Federal Fire Service commended residents, motorists and members of the public for obeying safety directives and cooperating with emergency officials throughout the operation.
The agency also appreciated the support of other emergency responders, including the Federal Capital Territory Fire Service, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigeria Police Force, and other collaborating organisations whose coordinated efforts helped prevent further damage.
Controller-General Adeyemi praised firefighters and emergency personnel for their professionalism, courage and dedication to safeguarding lives and property during the emergency response.
Meanwhile, authorities have commenced a full investigation to determine both the immediate and underlying causes of the fire incident.
Fuel tanker fires remain a major safety concern across Nigeria, particularly during the transportation and discharge of petroleum products. Safety experts continue to urge strict adherence to operational procedures at filling stations to reduce the risk of similar incidents.
