A tanker filled with petroleum products exploded on top of a major bridge in Kano at the weekend, setting ablaze a number of motorcycles near the scene of the incident.
Several persons within the vicinity of the accident escaped death by the whiskers, as they barely jumped to safer locations before the tanker, which had lost control on the bridge, burst into a fiery flame.
We learnt that the tanker, which was coming from Kano and probably going to Jigawa State, collided with a red Toyota Carina with registration number AA 624 TFB, and thereafter lost control, almost plunging from the bridge into the river.
It was gathered that in the process to avert falling into the river, the tanker driver hoped the motorcycles in front would give it support.
The incident, which happened about 7:30 am, immediately caused a huge traffic gridlock as motorists going to Jigawa State or at least five other states could not continue their journey.
Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the state, Alhaji Zaki Alkali, said that his officers were immediately deployed to the scene of the accident and had to divert motorists to a yet-to-be completed road.
It was also gathered that officers of the Fire Service in the state battled for five hours to put out the inferno.
Alhaji Alkali blamed the accident on over-speeding, adding that there was no human casualty from the accident.