Nigerian 'hero' who steered a burning truck to safety

The terrifying ordeal of a Nigerian man who was acclaimed a "hero" for risking his life by driving a blazing fuel truck away from a heavily populated suburban neighborhood in Warri Delta State has been told by the BBC.

"I had just one thought in mind, and that was to throw the blazing tanker into a neighboring river," Ejiro Otarigho stated.

"It was my [helper] who first informed me that our tanker was on fire." He said, "It was a terrifying ball of flames."

Mr. Ejiro stated that he had just offloaded some of the tanker's cargo and was on his way to another location when disaster struck.

With no time to waste, he urged his aide to exit the blazing tanker and rushed away, amidst shrieks of terror and disbelief from bystanders.

Any minor lapse in judgment by Mr. Otarigho, or an explosion, may have resulted in absolute calamity in the risky incident.

"I planned to drive down to the river. When I arrived, the automobile steering became stopped, and I was unable to proceed any farther "He narrated his story.

"I stated that if I go straight, the truck may tumble, causing another issue. So all I have to do now is find a parking spot in the open area."

Onlookers can be seen hauling Mr. Otarigho away in one of the films after he finally brought the tanker to safety.

Mr. Otarigho is unharmed, other than some smoke inhalation and bruises.

Tanker fires are prevalent in Nigeria, and many people have died as a result of them, as well as property damage.