At least 94 people have died and about 50 more injured after an overturned fuel tanker exploded in northwestern Nigeria, the police said.
The sad incident occurred overnight on an expressway in Jigawa State as residents scrambled to collect fuel from the tanker after it turned over. Police spokesman Lawan Shiisu Adam confirmed the fatalities, warning the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continue.
It had swerved off the road, trying to avoid hitting a truck in Majia. After the accident, Many people thronged the fallen tanker, which could have led to the high casualty figures. “The villagers were siphoning the fuel when the explosion occurred, causing an intense fire that killed 94 people instantly,” said Adam.
Videos from the scene showed a raging fire that engulfed the entire area, with bodies reportedly littering the site. The fire was still burning till the early hours of Wednesday. Adam said the injured are receiving treatment at hospitals in both Ringim and Hadejia.
Deadly truck accidents have become somewhat normal on Nigeria’s highways, and experts explain such high incidence is the result of reckless driving, poor roads, and poorly maintained vehicles. As recently as last month, 48 people were killed in a similar explosion after a fuel tanker collided with another truck in Niger State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps says Nigeria recorded 1,531 cases of petrol tanker crashes, leaving 535 dead and 1,142 injured, in 2020 alone. Many such accidents result in mass casualties as residents often try to siphon fuel after an accident.
The situation has been further compounded by Nigeria’s years-long economic crisis, in which fuel has become a much-needed commodity. In early September, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company increased the prices of petrol by at least 39 percent, for the second major rise in over a year.
