Driver escapes death as fire engulfs car in Delta

A driver, Moses Palmer, narrowly escaped death on Saturday morning when his Toyota coaster bus was suddenly engulfed in flames near the popular PTI Junction in the Uvwie council area of Delta state.

When The Nation visited the scene, the driver was seen trying to salvage some metal tools that may still be useful from the totally razed vehicle.

He was the sole occupant of the 30-seater bus and was on his way to pick up persons who had chartered the vehicle.

His wife, children, and other sympathisers who were at the scene expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost in the unfortunate incident.

According to the driver, the smell of petrol made him park the vehicle to find out the source.

But on an attempt to open the gearbox, the bus burst into flames.

He added several sympathisers made efforts to put out the fire with extinguisher, but the fire raged on.

He said: “I was going to Airport Road to pick passengers when I started perceiving fuel odour. So I parked to check where it was coming from.

“As I opened that place (points towards the driver’s seat) the fire just started. I don’t even know how I escaped from the fire. Smoke was everywhere. People came with a fire extinguisher but they could not quench it,” the distraught driver said.

Calling on well-meaning individuals to assist him, he disclosed the bus was the only means of livelihood for his family, adding that his wife’s shop was destroyed in the Igbudu market fire that occurred in August.