Individuals put together our bodies for funeral following a tanker explosion in Majiya city, Nigeria, on Wednesday.
Sani Maikatanga/AP
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Sani Maikatanga/AP
ABUJA, Nigeria — Greater than 140 folks, together with youngsters, have been killed and dozens have been injured in Nigeria after an overturned gasoline tanker truck exploded in flames whereas they have been attempting to scoop up gasoline pouring from the car, emergency companies stated Wednesday.
The accident occurred at midnight in Jigawa state’s Majiya city when the tanker driver misplaced management of the car whereas touring on a freeway, police spokesperson Lawan Adam stated. Residents rushed to the scene and have been scooping up gasoline, “sparking a massive inferno,” he stated.
“Close to 140 people were put in a mass grave apart from people buried in other places,” Nura Abdullahi, head of the Nationwide Emergency Administration Company within the area, advised The Related Press.
Residents of Majiya have been in mourning on Wednesday as they held a mass burial for the victims. A lot of the our bodies have been unrecognizable, emergency companies stated.
Individuals collect on the scene of a tanker explosion in Majiya city, Nigeria, on Wednesday.
Sani Maikatanga/AP
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Sani Maikatanga/AP
Lethal tanker accidents are frequent in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, the place visitors rules usually are not strictly enforced in lots of locations and there’s a lack of an environment friendly railway system to move cargo.
It is usually frequent for folks to salvage gasoline with cups and buckets to take residence after such accidents. The apply has change into extra frequent due to hovering gasoline costs, which have tripled because the begin of final yr as the federal government ended pricey gasoline subsidies.
The motive force concerned within the accident had traveled about 110 kilometers (68 miles) from neighboring Kano state, police stated.
The Jigawa State Emergency Administration Company initially put the dying toll at 105, together with those that died whereas being handled at hospitals.
Most different victims have been “burned to ashes” on the scene of the accident, stated Dr. Haruna Mairiga, head of Jigawa emergency companies.
“If they knew (about the danger), they wouldn’t have gone to fetch (the fuel),” Mairiga said.
He said emergency services arrived at the scene several hours after the accident.
Resident Sani Umar told local Channels Television that the fire “spread so quickly that many couldn’t escape.”
“People were running in all directions, screaming for help,” Umar stated.
“This is a heartbreaking moment for us all,” stated state police Commissioner Ahmadu Abdullahi.
