KANO: A fuel tanker explosion in the north of Nigeria has killed at least 94 people and left 50 wounded, police said on Wednesday.
Police spokesman Lawan Shiisu Adam said many of the victims were trying to collect fuel spilt on the road after the tanker overturned in Jigawa state. The tanker crashed while trying to avoid colliding with a truck in the town of Majia.
“We have so far confirmed 94 people dead and around 50 injured,” he said, warning the death toll could rise. After the crash, residents crowded around the crashed vehicle, collecting fuel that had spilt on the road, Adam said.
The Nigerian Medical Association has asked the doctors to rush to nearby emergency rooms to help the patients.
Fuel tanker explosions are quite common in Africa’s most populous country, where roads are poorly maintained and residents often look to siphon off fuel following accidents.
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