A fuel tanker went up in flames on Sunday along the Owerri–Umuahia Road in Mbaise, within Imo State, while offloading petroleum products at a filling station.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred around midday during routine discharge operations, triggering panic in the area as the fire rapidly intensified.
Videos circulating online showed thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky as flames engulfed the tanker and spread to parts of the station.
Emergency responders, including officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Imo State Fire Service, and other security agencies, were mobilised to the scene to contain the blaze and stop it from spreading to nearby buildings and vehicles.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to confirm the exact cause of the fire or the number of casualties, though preliminary information suggested that some individuals sustained injuries.