By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
A car carrying bags of diesel believed to be illegally refined product popularly referred to as ‘Kpo fire’ in the Niger Delta, burst into flames while on transit along NTA Road, Mgbuoba, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Saturday night.
The incident, which happened in front of Aganorlu Street, near Mgbuoba Market, caught residents and passers-by unawares and left them gaping in shock as they watched the car burn into ashes.
According to an eye witnesses, as soon as the car burst into flames, the driver quickly jumped out and ran into Aganorlu Street for safety of his life.
Effort by sympathisers to quench the fire with water proved difficult as it continued to burn until the car became a mere scrap while much of the diesel spilled to the ground.
The eye witness revealed that some boys took advantage of the situation to cart away some bags of diesel when the fire subsided.
The eye witness, a female, explained: “I could not believe what I saw last night. I came to market to buy something, then I heard people shouting and running to that Aganorlu side. I now saw the smoke, very very thick.
“Everywhere was smelling like tyre is burning. I didn’t know it’s diesel. It’s when I got closer – because people were running to go and see – when I got close, I now saw the diesel pouring out. It’s like the fire was burning the nylon bags they used to bag the diesel.
“People were pouring water on the fire to stop it. It took a long time before the fire stopped and some boys were carrying some of the diesel and running to their houses. They were running because the thing was leaking from the nylon bag.”
When TPCN visited the scene of the incident on Sunday morning, the car was still there and that side of the road was cordoned off with a caution tape.
