A tanker driver has been praised for keeping his cool in an extremely dangerous situation after reportedly driving a burning fuel tanker away from a busy petrol station and densely populated area in Osun State, Nigeria.
Dramatic footage shows the tanker travelling down the road with flames already consuming the rear of the trailer.
The incident reportedly happened at Feesu Junction along the Iwo-Ibadan Expressway in the Iwo area of Osun State, shortly after the tanker had unloaded fuel at a filling station.
With the fire already burning and the area reportedly densely populated, the driver appears to have made the decision to get the burning tanker away from the station and surrounding people.
Instead of abandoning the truck where it was, he drove the rig towards a less populated area near a river.
The video then captures the moment the driver pulls over and quickly jumps out of the cab.
He can be seen working around the truck before disconnecting the tractor unit from the burning tanker and getting himself away from the fire.
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It is a scene that could easily have ended very differently.
A fully involved fuel tanker near a busy filling station is a serious fire and explosion risk, with the potential for the flames to spread rapidly to other vehicles, buildings and fuel infrastructure.
While the driver’s actions and the exact sequence of events have not been independently verified, the footage has sparked widespread praise for his apparent decision to move the burning tanker away from the populated area before abandoning it.
The cause of the fire, as well as whether anyone was injured or the extent of the damage, was not immediately available.
For truck drivers, particularly those hauling fuel, the video is another stark reminder that things can go pear-shaped in seconds.
In this case, one driver’s actions appear to have put him directly in harm’s way while trying to get a burning tanker away from people.
Watch the video below:
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