Many people have died while scooping up spilled gasoline from roads, and soaring fuel prices have forced them to take “last-minute measures.”
Mass funerals have been held for more than 150 people killed in a fuel tanker explosion in northwestern Nigeria, many of whom died trying to collect gasoline spilled on the road.
Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris reported Thursday from Abuja that the death toll from the disaster has reached 157, and health workers in Jigawa state say more than 100 others are being treated in hospitals for burns. Based on the severity of his injuries, it was clear that he was dead. Tolls may increase.
Police spokesperson Lawan Sisu Adamu said the tanker was headed from the ancient city of Kano to Yobe state in the north when the driver lost control of the vehicle near the town of Maziya, about 530 kilometers north of the capital Abuja. He said he lost it and an accident occurred. It falls over and spills fuel.
Idris said a large funeral was held on Wednesday and more than 100 victims were buried.
“Not all those killed were part of the crowd collecting fuel,” he noted.
“This is a sad story and many people are shocked by what is happening, but many are not surprised. With rising poverty levels, scarcity and rising gas prices… People are being forced into desperate measures,” he said.
(Al Jazeera)
Witness Adam Abdullahi, 37, narrowly escaped being hit by the explosion late Tuesday night.
“I was at the scene when it happened, scooped up some oil, went home and dropped it. I picked up my bike to go home, but it broke down. While I was doing the repairs, I heard a loud explosion. ” he said.
“Little did they know that it was the cause of death,” said Haruna Mailiga, executive director of the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency. “Some of the people who were working on recovering this fuel were caught in the fire. During the filming process, there was a flash of light and the place burst into flames.”
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with more than 220 million people, does not have an efficient rail system to transport cargo, resulting in frequent fatal truck accidents on most major roads. I am.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps of Nigeria, there were 1,531 petrol tanker accidents in 2020 alone, resulting in 535 deaths and 1,142 injuries.
Just last month, a fuel tanker carrying cattle collided with another truck, causing an explosion that killed at least 48 people and burned alive at least 50 animals.
“Nigeria’s road infrastructure is in a very bad condition, with highways full of potholes and even craters in some places. These are obstacles that motorists try to avoid, and in the process, many You lose control of your vehicle,” Idris said.
People prepare for burial after tanker explosion in Maziya town, Nigeria (Sani Maikatanga/AP Photo)
An investigation has been launched into the recent disaster. However, Idris said, “Authorities have failed to repair road infrastructure over the past decades.”
Timothy Iwuagwu, president of the Nigeria Association of Safety Professionals, said many tankers were not designed in accordance with international best practices to avoid spills in the event of an accident.
He said government agencies charged with enforcing safety regulations often fail to do so.
“Also, there are not enough awareness campaigns and people deliberately do not follow safety measures when such accidents occur,” Iwagwu said.
