At least 60 bodies have been recovered from the site of a tanker explosion in Dikko, Gurara Local Government Area, Niger State,Daily Trust reports.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday morning when a fuel-laden tanker exploded, killing numerous people and leaving several others injured.
Kumar Tsukwam, the Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), provided an update on the casualty count later that afternoon. He disclosed that the tanker, bearing registration number KBG-103-XAX, belonged to HMY Oil and Gas and was driven by Mohammed Modu.
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The tanker, carrying 60,000 liters of petrol, had departed Lagos and was en route to Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory when the vehicle’s body detached from its head, causing the tanker to overturn. Many of the victims were scavengers who had gathered to collect the spilled fuel despite efforts to deter them.
The fire spread to a second tanker at the scene, worsening the destruction.
According to Abdullah Baba Arah, Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), the explosion was triggered by a generator being used to transfer fuel from the fallen tanker to another vehicle.
