Owner of Fuel Tanker that Exploded in Totota Breaks Silence
— Says he was traumatized and confused over the incident
The Chief Executive Officer of ‘God's Willing Inc.’, Odoshall Oldpa Karnue, has broken his silence since his company’s fuel tanker exploded in Totota on December 26, 2023, resulting in well over 70 fatalities and injuries.
In an interview with the Daily Observer in Ganta, Karnue expressed his deep shock and confusion following the incident. He stated that he was devastated upon learning about the tanker explosion and the loss of lives.
“I was so devastated when I heard that the tanker exploded and killed several people, so I was traumatized and was mourning,” he said. “Going through this kind of loss and, at the same time, hearing that dozens of people got killed, confuses me and makes me speechless.”
He said the traumatic experience left him unsure of how to respond. Karnue explained that, had there not been any interference with the tanker, he had a plan to recover some of the gasoline. He had arranged for another tanker to drain the gas and a jack truck to lift the faulty tanker.
According to Karnue, his driver and conductor reported to him that they were prevented from carrying out their plan to secure the truck and onboard product by individuals who approached them with sticks. They left the scene and complained to the police, which ultimately led to their involvement.
“My driver and the conductor said that when the truck fell, the leakage was slow and because those scooping could not get enough of what they wanted, they brought a chisel and hammer and began opening another hole for fast leakage,” he said. “It was due to friction from using the chisel and hammer that caused the tanker to explode.”
He stated that even if all the gas had been lost during the accident, he could have used the tanker to recover some of his losses. Unfortunately, the loss of both the tanker and the petroleum products was a significant blow to his business.
He estimated his losses to be around US$200,000, including the value of the tanker and the gasoline it was transporting. Despite his losses, Karnue mentioned that his company contributed L$100,000 to the Bong County Disaster Committee to assist those affected by the incident. He emphasized that human lives take precedence over any material loss.
“Even though we lost, the lives of human beings come first, by God's grace we will recover what we lost. So, during the Bong Disaster Committee rally, we made our contribution of L$100,000 to cater to those who were affected,” he said.
Mr. Karnue is now appealing to the central government to assist in helping him recover from his losses. In the meantime, his company is purchasing gas from importers, repaying them after the sale.
Following the incident, Mr. Karnue kept a low profile and commemorated the lives lost by posting a picture of a green lit candle as his Facebook profile. However, he has now resumed his public appearances.