A fuel tanker explosion in Nigeria, a West African country, has claimed the lives of nearly 100 people. At least 50 others have been injured in the incident, which took place in the northern region of the country, police said on Wednesday.
Police spokesperson Lawan Shiisu Adam told the French news agency AFP that the tanker overturned late Tuesday night in Jigawa state, located in northern Nigeria. As people gathered to collect the spilled fuel, the tanker exploded.
“We have confirmed 94 deaths so far,” Adam said, adding that at least 50 people were injured in the explosion.
In an interview with the American news agency AP, Lawan explained that many people rushed to gather fuel after the tanker overturned, but an unexpected explosion triggered a massive fire, causing the fatalities.
The fire resulting from the explosion could not be fully extinguished until early Wednesday morning, according to Adam.
This incident follows another tragic fuel tanker explosion last month in the north-central Niger State, where a collision between a tanker and a truck killed at least 48 people. Fatal accidents involving trucks are common on Nigeria’s major highways, with experts attributing the accidents to reckless driving, poor road conditions, and overcrowded vehicles.
