A catastrophic gasoline tanker explosion in Nigeria's northern Jigawa state has left 94 people dead and 50 others severely injured, local authorities reported on Wednesday.
A tragic incident claimed the lives of at least 94 people and left over 50 others injured when a gasoline tanker overturned and exploded in Jigawa state, police confirmed on Wednesday. The deadly explosion occurred just after midnight in the town of Majiya when the tanker driver lost control of the vehicle near a local university.
According to local police, the incident took place shortly after midnight when the driver of the gasoline tanker lost control of the vehicle while navigating a highway near a university. The tanker overturned, spilling highly flammable fuel onto the road.
Shortly after the crash, residents rushed to the scene to scoop up fuel spilling from the vehicle, a common but highly dangerous practice in Nigeria, especially amid the nation’s soaring fuel prices.
FUEL TANKER EXPLOSION CLAIMS 95 LIVES IN JIGAWA STATE.
A devastating fuel tanker explosion occurred in Majiya village, Taura LGA, in the early hours of Wednesday, October 16.
At about 12:30 am, a fuel-laden tanker traveling from Port Harcourt to Nguru in… pic.twitter.com/KARohkkEaI
In the incident that occurred in Majia Town, Jigawa State, individuals gathered around a tanker that had been involved in an accident to collect petrol. Tragically, the tanker exploded, resulting in over 90 reported fatalities and leaving 50 others hospitalized. pic.twitter.com/MjBXp7vVJv
— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz)Police spokesperson Lawan Adam confirmed that the explosion occurred as dozens of people were busy scooping fuel from the tanker. "The residents were scooping up fuel from the overturned tanker when the explosion occurred, sparking a massive inferno that killed 94 people on the spot," said Adam.
Footage from the aftermath showed the scale of the destruction, with fire stretching across the scene and bodies scattered in the debris. Many of the injured were rushed to local hospitals with severe burns, and officials fear the death toll may rise.
Tanker accidents are tragically frequent in Nigeria, a country where traffic regulations are often poorly enforced, and alternative transportation systems, like railways, are underdeveloped. With rising fuel prices and economic hardship, desperate residents frequently risk their lives to collect fuel from accident sites, despite the dangers involved.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash and assessing the full extent of the damage.