A Nigerian long haulage driver, Alagbe Hezekiah, 38-year-old tanker driver from Ogbomosho, Oyo state Southwest of the country, showed courage to avert a national disaster in the country.
He saved lives and properties in Iwo Osun State, southwestern Nigeria.
Mr Alagbe Hezekiel drove away a petro tanker engulfed in inferno away from business centers and petrol stations at Feesu Junction, along the Iwo-Ibadan Expressway, opposite Lado Filling Station in Iwo, Osun State.
What could have been a catastrophic national tragedy in Nigeria was averted by his singular act of bravery
The Heroic Act
Hezekiah had gone to supply fuel at a filling station in Iwo. The hose had already been connected to offload the content, a diesel-laden tanker, when fire suddenly erupted from the truck. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
According to him, he and his motor boy immediately tried to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher, but the inferno was beyond the control of the extinguisher and was spreading fast toward the filling station, nearby shops, and residential buildings. His apprentice fled the scene in panic.
At that moment, with fear in his heart, Hezekiah made a decision that only a true hero could make.
THE DARING DECISION
Instead of running for his own life, he jumped into the burning tanker and drove it out of the filling station, away from the crowd, away from the fuel pumps, away from lives and properties.
“I thought of what I can do to avert putting lives of many and properties at risk. I drove the vehicle out of the petrol station.I scanned the area for where there are no people living. I decided to drive to a riverbank where there will be no casualties,” he recounted.
“I took the bold step with the conviction that I may survive or be consumed and die with the incident.However, sacrificing my life to save properties and other people’s lives would be better than risking others with the incident.”
He drove the flaming tanker through the road, with fire engulfing the back, until he got to a safe, uninhabited riverbank area where he then detached the head of the truck from the burning tank, preventing the fire from spreading further.
Eyewitnesses at Odo-Ori Market said if he had not acted that fast, the entire Feesu Junction, which is surrounded by filling stations, businesses, and homes would have gone up in flames. No life was lost.
Bio
Alagbe Hezekiah is not a new driver. He has been driving tankers since 2004 , over 22 years of experience but he said he had never encountered a situation like this before.
He has since been hailed across Nigeria as “The Best Driver of the Year” and a true definition of courage, selflessness, and professionalism.
He has also used the opportunity to appeal to the Oyo and Osun State Governments to fix deplorable roads and to advise fellow tanker drivers to always put safety and human life first.
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