General News of Thursday, 9 February 2017
Source: citifmonline.com
2017-02-09
Diesel tanker caught fire close to the Dzorwulu traffic light
There is a heavy vehicular traffic on the N1 Highway after a diesel tanker caught fire close to the Dzorwulu traffic light.
It took the timely intervention of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to avert a possible disaster. According to Michael Adu-Osei, an eyewitness, smoke was spotted billowing from the trailer-head of the truck around 7.30pm.
He told Citi News that,” About 300 meters from the Fiesta Royale traffic light, we saw smoke coming from under the head of the trailer so the driver drove forward and jumped out, that is when the fire started.”
He said an emergency call was placed to the fire service, who responded promptly to prevent the fire from extending to the diesel carrier – averting an explosion.
“For about 40 minutes, the road has been blocked all the way from the traffic light to where the car is. I think people were told to stop and not come further because of the situation.”
“It is just the head, everything was burnt, but the tanker itself is safe. When the burning started it didn’t get to the tanker before the fire service people got here. We didn’t have an explosion. It was a gradual burning of the head.”
“The traffic situation is still there; but the police are directing the cars to pass because the tanker took the outer lane so they [the drivers] are managing.”
No casualty was recorded.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has deployed personnel to maintain order in the area and direct traffic since the tanker is yet to be towed off the road.