Some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) escaped death by the whiskers on Thursday as the coaster bus they boarded to Asaba, Delta state capital for their passing out parade (POP) exploded at a filling station.
According to reports, the incident occurred at a filling station close to the Nigerian Navy Headquarters, in Warri, an oil hub in Delta.
The corps members who reportedly completed their one-year mandatory service year at the College of Education, Warri were conveyed in a bus belonging to the College for the POP.
One of the corps members told newsmen that the bus ran out of fuel shortly after the journey began and had stopped for a refuel before the unfortunate incident.
“The driver stopped at a filling station close to Nigeria Navy Barracks in Warri to refuel the bus. While we were inside, and the filling station attendant was dispensing fuel into the bus, we heard a deafening sound, and everywhere was covered with smoke,” the source said.
Many of the corps members reportedly sustained serious injuries, while a female corps member had a serious dislocation and was rushed to an undisclosed hospital.
It was reported that the corps members lost their phones, bags and other personal effects to the incident.
The cause of the fire is unknown but sources said the driver of the bus allegedly failed to switch off the bus while it was being refuelled.
On Thursday, corps members of the 2021 Batch A, Stream II, had their passing out parade in different states across the country.
