A capsized fuel tanker explodes in northwestern Nigeria, killing more than 150 people, including children, and injuring dozens more.
The accident happened on a highway in Jigawa State. People then rushed to the vehicles to collect the fuel, police spokesperson Lawan Seeth Adam said.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, lacks an efficient rail system for transporting cargo, resulting in frequent fatal tanker accidents.
People often use cups or buckets to collect fuel, especially as fuel prices have tripled since the government ended expensive gas subsidies last year.
Adamu said on Wednesday that the latest accident occurred in Maziya town late Tuesday night when the driver lost control of the vehicle on the highway. Residents rushed to the scene in anticipation of a “massive inferno.”
Most of the bodies were unidentified, according to emergency services.
Mass graves were held on Wednesday and Thursday, and Jigawa Ambulance Chief Dr. Haruna Mailiga said most of the victims were “burned to ashes” at the scene.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps, there were more than 1,500 accidents involving fuel tankers in Nigeria in 2020, resulting in 535 deaths.
In September, at least 48 people were killed when a fuel tanker collided with another truck in north-central Nigeria.
The accident has reignited questions about the implementation of domestic safety measures and traffic regulations.