Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has described the fire incident which occurred under the Molete Bridge, in Ibadan, on Saturday night, as devastating.

Visiting the scene of the incident, Ajimobi commiserated with the families of the victims and those who lost their property to the inferno.

He said it was to prevent such tragedies that his administration always advised people, especially people trading along the roads, to leave. “I have always been pleading that people should not be selling items by the roadside. You can imagine if there was nobody here, many lives could have been saved. Those who were mainly affected were those by the roadside. I do hope that this would not happen again. I pray that their souls be reposed,” the governor said.

He assured that the State Government would continually educate people on the need to adhere to the advice not to trade along the roads as people tend to forget easily. “We will plead with them again as well as ensure we enforce no trading by the roadside,” Ajimobi stated.

Oyo State Commissioner of Works, Mr. Bimbo Kolade, while supervising the evacuation of the burnt tanker and clearance of the scene of the incident, decried the development. He assured that government would take care of the hospitalised victims.

Some residents who spoke to News Express on some of the activities that could have contributed to the fire disaster, appealed to Governor Ajimobi to make the area safer for habitation, and to prevent further occurrences.

One of them, Alhaji Jelili Jogunosinmi, noted that part of what contributed to the incident was indiscriminate parking of vehicles at the Molete Roundabout, and urged government to look into it urgently.

Another resident who did not give his name called for the elimination of touts operating in the area, saying that they engage in excesses just to extort money from motorists.

•Photo shows Molete Under Bridge after the inferno.