It was a tensed moment in Moniya area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital yesterday as fire razed several shops, cars, motorcycles, excavator including the motor park close to Akinyele Local Government Area headquarters were destroyed by the inferno which lasted for some minutes.

One of the eyewitnesses,said men of the Oyo State Fire Service arrived at the scene about 35 minutes after the fire started. persons died when a fuel-laden tanker went up in flames at Moniya area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday.

The tanker conveying diesel lost control while descending the slope beside a filling station at Moniya, crushing a vehicle travelling to Ogbomoso.

There was a loud blast which was followed immediately by huge ball of fire with thick cloud of smoke. It kept touching everything on its way.

“No one could move near the fire. Everybody was scampering for safety,” the eyewitness said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Fire Officer, Oyo State, Adewuyi Moshood, said his men arrived at the scene in good time considering the distance they needed to cover to get to the spot.

The fire started when a fully laden tanker conveying diesel lost control while descending the slope beside a filling station at Moniya. There was brake failure and it crushed a vehicle going to Ogbomoso.

“One passenger, who was trapped in the vehicle got burnt. One other life was lost,” Adewuyi said.