EBONYI FILLING STATION TOUCHED BY CUTLASS-WIELDING ARSONIST

REPORTER: AMECHI ODO

A yet to be identified arsonist has set ablaze a filling station situated at Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway in Ebonyi State.

The suspected arsonist said to be wielding a Cutlass also set ablaze a brand new sienna bus refuelling at the filling station before fleeing the scene.

The incident which occured in a broad day light took the fuel attendants at the filling station, customers and passers by by surprise.

The Manager of the filling station, Mr Chukwudi Lebera explained that the attacker walked into the filling station and ordered a female pump attendant to stop dispensing fuel.

He noted that the pump attendant ignored him and continued dispensing fuel into a waiting sienna bus.

While that was happening, he reached out for his Cutlass inside a bag and aimed it at the attendants head but she dodged it and fled the scene.

According to the Manager, the suspected arisonist then collected the pump nozzle and splashed fuel on the body of the Sienna Bus before setting it ablaze.

Another worker in the filling station, Ms Faith Oroke said the attacker came with a lighter with which he set the filling station ablaze before he fled the scene on foot.

It was gathered that the fire would have burnt all the occupants of the Sienna Bus if not that they managed to escape.

However, the driver was said to have sustained serious burn while few other passengers suffered various degrees of injuries and were rushed to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Ebonyi State, Mr Joshua Ukandu said the Command had commenced investigations into the incident.

Radio Nigeria further gathered that the fire was put out by the men of fire service.