A gasoline tanker exploded in a single day in northern Nigeria, killing not less than 153 individuals who rushed to the scene of the accident to gather leaking petrol, officers say.
The hearth engulfed the overturned automobile, which had been cordoned off by officers after it crashed in Jigawa state, the police informed the BBC.
About 100 different folks injured within the explosion have been taken to hospitals within the area, a lot of them in important situation.
Officers had warned folks to not strategy the tanker after the accident late on Tuesday evening, however they had been unable to comprise the rising crowd, mentioned police spokesman Lawal Shiisu Adam.
“We tried our greatest to cease folks going to the automobile to get petrol however regardless of cordoning [off] the realm, we had been overpowered and as folks had been scooping gasoline, hearth erupted,” he informed the BBC.
The crash occurred within the city of Majia at round 23:30 native time (22:30 GMT), he mentioned.
“The gasoline tanker was coming from Kano and heading to Nguru in Yobe state when the motive force misplaced management of the automobile.”
The motive force, who was not injured, has been taken into custody whereas the police conduct an investigation.
A distressing video has been shared on social media displaying the moments after the fireplace erupted.
“Fireplace service and different emergency models rushed to the scene to assist after the incident,” Mr Adam mentioned.
Lots of the victims have been burnt past recognition. The recovered our bodies have been lined by tree branches to protect them from onlookers.
Rescue staff have been discovering extra our bodies – some a substantial distance from the scene of the accident. They’d presumably been attempting to get assist earlier than succumbing to their accidents, a police spokesman informed the BBC.
Most of those that died have been buried in a mass ceremony.
Gasoline tanker explosions and accidents are frequent in Nigeria – typically attributable to the poor state of roads and badly maintained automobiles.
Because the clear-up operation was beneath method in Jigawa, there was one other gasoline tanker accident in south-western Ogun state within the city of Ibafo.
It overturned on Wednesday morning on a most important highway in entrance of a business financial institution, spilling petrol earlier than bursting into flames.
The hearth ravaged the realm damaging different lorries. No-one was injured within the incident, however it’s estimated to have precipitated 1000’s of {dollars}’ price of injury.
In September, 59 folks died in Nigeria’s Niger state after a gasoline tanker collided with a lorry carrying passengers and cattle.
Extra reporting from the BBC’s Andrew Present in Ibafo.
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