Tanker inferno: Hospitals reject victims

Families of the injured victims of the tanker inferno that killed over 200 persons in Okugbe Community, Ahoada West Local Government Area, Rivers State, have decried the inability of hospitals in the state and neighbouring Bayelsa State to handle cases of first degree burns.

Our correspondent gathered that the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, the General Hospital, Ahoada and clinics in Mbiama, a border community between the two states, had rejected patients with severe burns.

It was gathered that families of the helpless patients were asked on arrival to seek medical help in equipped hospitals at Port Harcourt, Rivers State and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State.

Medical experts at the FMC, Yenagoa, told our correspondent that eight victims that were rushed to the hospital on Thursday had been referred to Benin.

The experts, who said their names should not be mentioned, disclosed that the hospital lacked the equipment to treat such burns.

One of them said, “When they were brought in, we administered first aid to stabilise their conditions and referred them to University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the UBTH.”

A traumatised woman, Mrs. Sade Orisola, said she rushed to the hospital on receiving calls that her brother was a victim of the incident.

She, however, said on sighting her brother, she could not recognise him.

“But when I got to the hospital, I could not recognise my brother. They told me that the person that was wrapped with a huge bandage was my brother. Can that be my brother was what I asked?” she said, sobbing.

Also, a 34-year-old victim, Mr. Collins Efejiro, said he had concluded arrangements for his wedding before the incident occurred.

He said his skin had been burnt beyond recognition a few days to his traditional wedding in Ughelli, Delta State.

Recalling how the incident occurred, he said, “When I got to the scene, I met a rowdy session and struggled to get closer. One of my friends that had a 50-litre jerrycan filled with scooped product offered to fill my empty 10-litre bottle.

“As he was pouring the fuel, we heard a very loud explosion. When we looked up to the direction of the fallen tanker, we saw some bodies of people we know being flung all around us. We could not move for a few seconds. Shortly, we were engulfed in the fire. I ran towards the road and tore my clothes. But I could not see my friend again.”

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency has said plans were underway to forestall any health hazard the area.

NEMA South-South Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Emenike Umesi, said this while speaking with SUNDAY PUNCH in a telephone interview on Friday.

Umesi said measures had been put in place to ensure that the point where the incident took place was fumigated.

He stated that NEMA had been liaising with the Ahoada West Local Government Authority on how to ensure that the incident did not adversely affect the health of those living within the area.

“We are discussing on how to ensure that the place is safe for the people living around that area. By tomorrow, we would be discussing on how to fumigate the scene of the incident.”

Umesi added that the agency was making arrangements to assist victims of the fire explosion that were currently receiving treatments at various hospitals in the area.

He, however, decried the attitude of some villagers who took victims to native doctors, adding that their action was against medical advice.