By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

A petrol station in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State was on Friday gutted by fire when a petrol tanker discharging petroleum product sparked fire in the petrol station.

Information has it that the fire started at about 10:00 a.m. when the sun was already out.

According to an eye witness account, “There was pandemonium in the entire area in Ogidi, near Onitsha. The petrol tanker was discharging fuel at the filling station, when a small spark of fire was noticed, and before it could be extinguished, the tanker was already in flame, burning down the filling station.”

Confirming the incident, the Anambra Fire Service boss, Mr Martin Agbili, said that his men successfully put off the fire.

He added: “At about 09:53 a.m. of today (Friday), we received a distress call of a fire outbreak at a Petrol Filling Station at 7th Mile, Ogidi.

“Our fire trucks and Firefighters were deployed to the fire incident scene. Anambra State Fire Service, Awka, Nigeria and Federal Fire Service were there to fight the fire. The fire had been completely controlled and extinguished now.

“There was no loss of life while the filling station was saved. The fire affected the tanker. The cause of the fire outbreak was as a result of spark from the pumping ground during their transloading process.

“We will continue to tell petrol filling station owners to stop discharging and transloading under the intensity of the sun or during the day. This practice is best done in the night or at the early hours of the morning.”