A Botswana-registered fuel tanker carrying a massive load of petrol went up in flames on Sunday night, lighting up the B6 national road roughly 30km east of Hosea Kutako International Airport.
According to Namibian Police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the incident happened around 20:30, approximately 15km from Seeis in the direction of Gobabis.
The tanker, loaded with about 45,000 litres of petrol, was completely engulfed in flames.
Emergency crews from the City of Windhoek raced to the scene and managed to douse the blaze before it spread further. Luckily, the Motswana driver escaped the inferno without injury.
“The truck was partially blocking one lane, but traffic was regulated, and the situation has since normalised,” said Shikwambi.
Photos and videos of the towering flames made their rounds on social media shortly after the incident, with truckers and motorists sharing their disbelief at the intensity of the fire.
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Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire, but investigations are underway.
The B6 route is a vital corridor connecting Windhoek with Botswana, and this incident highlights the ever-present dangers of transporting hazardous goods on long-distance routes.
Fortunately, no other vehicles were involved, and there were no reported injuries besides the total loss of the tanker.
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