At least 31 people have been confirmed dead and 17 others others hospitalised after a petrol tanker conveying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) exploded while residents were scooping fuel in Niger State.
The incident occurred around 2:40 pm near Essa Village via Katcha, according to a statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun.
“There was a lone tanker accident along the Bida–Agaie highway, and as a result, the tanker conveying PMS fell by the roadside,” Abiodun said.
He added that the explosion happened when residents rushed to the scene to scoop fuel from the overturned tanker.
“Unfortunately, members of the public living around Essa village via Katcha rushed to the scene and were scooping PMS and, in the process, the tanker suddenly engulfed in an inferno.
He noted that out of the 48 victims affected by the fire, 31 people lost their lives at the spot of the incident, while 17 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Three motorcycles were also burnt,” the police spokesperson stated.
Abiodun said officers and emergency responders were immediately deployed to the scene for rescue operations, adding that an investigation was ongoing to identify the driver and owner of the tanker involved.
Meanwhile, the state governor, Mohammed Bago has expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the tanker explosion.
Bago, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, on Tuesday evening, described the incident as “worrisome, unfortunate, and pathetic.”
Bago prayed for the repose of the lives of the victims while expressing displeasure towards the act of petrol scooping.
The tragedy adds to the growing list of tanker-related explosions across the country.