One dead, another injured as tanker inferno burns shops, vehicles in Cross River

One person has been confirmed dead while another sustained serious injuries after a petroleum tanker overturned and caught fire opposite the Odukpani Local Government Secretariat in Cross River State.

The inferno, which occurred on Sunday, also affected several shops, buildings and vehicles around the scene.

The police spokesperson, Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, the tanker was conveying petroleum products when it was involved in a road crash and overturned, triggering the fire.

“The driver of the tanker, who was reportedly caught in the fire, has been rescued and taken to a hospital for medical attention,” Mr Eitokpah said in the initial update.

He said police officers from the Odukpani Division were deployed to the scene to maintain safety, secure the area, and prevent further harm to members of the public.

The fire service was also alerted to deploy personnel to contain and extinguish the fire.

The police initially said no death had been confirmed, although several shops and vehicles had reportedly been affected.

However, in a subsequent update, Mr Eitokpah confirmed that one person died while another sustained serious injury and was receiving medical treatment.

The identities of the victims were not immediately disclosed.

The police urged residents, motorists and other members of the public to stay away from the immediate area to allow emergency responders unhindered access to the scene.

One in many cases

The incident adds to a series of recent fire emergencies recorded in the state.

In September, the state fire service said 17 fire incidents were recorded across the state between January and September 2026, resulting in an estimated N2.5 billion in property losses and six injuries. The incidents included a tanker spill, according to the fire service.

The state also recently witnessed a major fire at the SPAR shopping mall in Calabar on 22 August, which affected several businesses and reportedly destroyed property worth billions of naira. The federal government subsequently approved N515 million in relief for affected business owners, Channels TV reported.

Authorities have continued to urge residents to exercise caution and allow emergency agencies unhindered access during fire emergencies.