Motorist burnt to death after buying fuel

A 45-year-old man has been burnt to death at the C Close, FESTAC Town, Lagos State, after a keg of fuel in his car caught fire.


PUNCH Metro gathered that the victim had bought the fuel from a filling station in the neighbourhood around 3am on Saturday and had driven his Peugeot 307 car home safely.

Something was, however, said to have triggered a fire in the car, which engulfed the victim.


Efforts by firefighters from the Lagos State Fire Service to save the situation were abortive, as he was burnt to death.

An official of the fire service, Amodu Shakiru, said no one knew the victim was in the car until his relatives came.

Shakiru, who spoke for the Director of the state fire service, Rasak Fadipe, said although investigations were ongoing, the agency suspected that the victim had a lighter or cigarette in the car.

He said, “We met the fire raging and we were able to stop the spread. It was after we put out the fire that his family members showed up and we all started looking for him. When he could not be found, we searched the car and found his charred remains in the vehicle.”