By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The driver of a tanker vehicle fully loaded with petrol was reported to have lost control close to Annie Walsh School gate at Kissy Road and ended up crashing into the protective rails at Abacha Street, close to the East End Police station.
According the Local Unit Commander (LUC) at East End Police, Nora Adama Ngobeh, the unfortunate situation happened in the evening hours of Wednesday 16th November, 2022 at about 17:00 hours (seventeen hundred hours). She was in her office when she heard a loud bang on the outside which she later learnt was due to the vehicle hitting the rails. The officer said they were thankful to God that the street was deserted that evening, or else it would have been a very serious tragedy especially had the vehicle exploded.
LUC Ngobeh said no death was reported, but that three people were injured while running for their lives.
“We thank God that the railings were there to intercept it (tanker),” she said.
She stated that the Police were quick enough to intervene, owing to the fact that the incident happened very close to the Police station, at a time members of the Local Police Partnership Board were having a meeting.
She said the Police cordoned off the scene of accident, to prevent people from any attempt at scooping fuel, to avoid any likely repeat of the Wellington fire disaster last year in which many people died after a tanker that was rammed into by a truck, burst into flames as people were scooping dripping petrol.
She advised Sierra Leoneans to be law abiding, noting that had it not been the prompt removal of traders at Abacha Street, it would have been deadly. She also advised pedestrians to always face the approaching traffic while walking along the street.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (18/11/22)
