How 11 family members died in Enugu tanker explosion – Siblings

Eleven members of the same family from the Abofia-Agbaja community in the Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State were among the victims of a tanker fire that occurred at Ugwu Onyeama along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, on Saturday, PUNCH Metro has learnt.

According to an eyewitness, the fire broke out around 11 a.m., when according to an eyewitness, the tanker lost control while descending a hilly section of the road, crashing into vehicles ahead before spilling its contents and igniting a massive explosion.

The bereaved brother of the deceased Ebonyi 11 family victims, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwaji, who spoke with our correspondent amidst tears on Tuesday, said the explosion claimed the entire family of Mr. Jeremiah Nwaji who was travelling in their private Sienna to the village to bury their late father.

Nwaji narrated that the victims were on their way from Onitsha, Anambra State with his six children, wife, brother and servants to the village where their Sienna bus ignited fire from the explosion that burnt them to ashes.

According to him, his deceased brother who was the breadwinner of the family was conveying the entire family in his friend’s Sienna.

The deceased’s friend had given him the vehicle to enable him to carry all their belongings as his father was billed for burial, this Friday, before he met his death.

He said, “It was disheartening that we lost 11 members of the family in a controllable situation involving my eldest brother and breadwinner of our family, his wife, six children who are among a twin, our last born, our brother’s house help and servants.

“They were in a Sienna vehicle coming to Ebonyi State from Anambra where the incident occurred and were coming for our father’s burial which was scheduled to be held this Friday before his death leaving the family with two siblings as my mother gave birth to four males.”

He called on President Bola Tinubu to revisit the policy that banned the movement of tankers loaded with Premium Motor Spirit during the day, adding that many families had lost their loved ones in similar circumstances.

“As seen in advanced countries, our family is pleading to President Bola Tinubu to revisit the policy that stipulated that tankers should only move by night as seen before where drivers moved from 9:00 in the night till early morning where they pack to continue the next day seeing the havoc it is causing in our country.”

Also, the bereaved sister and widow, Mrs Chiamaka Onyibe, said the victim was the one paying her children’s school fees since she lost her husband.

She added that the family had lost their ‘divine helper’.

PUNCH Metro reports that the deceased was a classmate (2004 Set) of Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State.