A FUEL tanker truck transporting thousands of litres of fuel was destroyed by fire early Saturday morning along the Mabura road while en route to Lethem.
According to the police, the truck—bearing registration number GAJ 9707 and owned by a 36-year-old businessman of Culvert City, Lethem—was carrying 19,500 litres of gasoline and 19,500 litres of diesel when the incident occurred around 05:15hrs.
The vehicle was being driven by 38-year-old Vijay Persaud, accompanied by his 20-year-old porter, Joseph Layne. Persaud told investigators that while travelling from Georgetown to Lethem, he heard a loud explosion sounding like a tyre-burst. He immediately pulled the vehicle to a stop and discovered that the left rear tyre was ablaze.
Armed with a fire extinguisher, Persaud attempted to douse the flames, but his efforts proved futile. The blaze quickly intensified, forcing both him and Layne to flee for safety. Moments later, the entire truck was engulfed in flames. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The Guyana Fire Service was summoned, and at approximately 11:15hrs, water bowser #19, led by Sub Officer Fenton Drepaul-Saul and four crew members, arrived on the scene. The firemen battled the blaze for just over an hour before successfully extinguishing it at around 12:30hrs.
The destroyed vehicle was cordoned off, and authorities confirmed that traffic along the busy roadway continues to flow freely. The police said both Persaud and Layne are assisting investigators as the probe into the incident continues.