‘Burned alive’: At least 48 killed in Nigeria after fuel tanker collides with truck
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At least 48 people were burned alive after a fuel tanker collided head-on with another truck in Nigeria on Sunday, sparking a deadly explosion. The incident occurred in the Agaie area of north-central Niger state, according to the country’s emergency response agency.
The tanker, which was also transporting cattle, exploded on impact, killing at least 50 animals as well.Abdullahi Baba-Arab, the director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the tragic details.
Rescue operations were immediately initiated at the site of the accident. Initially, 30 bodies were discovered, but in a later update, Baba-Arab reported that 18 more victims, burned beyond recognition, had been found. The victims were given a mass burial due to the severity of their injuries.
Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger state urged residents of the area to remain calm in the wake of the disaster. He also called on road users to exercise caution, stressing the importance of adhering to traffic regulations to prevent future tragedies. “Lives and property must be safeguarded,” he said.
A recurring tragedy
Fatal truck accidents are a common occurrence in Nigeria, where the absence of an efficient railway system means heavy cargo is transported by road. This reliance on trucks increases the risk of fatal incidents, particularly along major highways.
In 2020 alone, Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps recorded 1,531 tanker crashes, which resulted in 535 deaths and over 1,000 injuries. Sunday’s tragedy underscores the ongoing dangers faced by road users in the country, where infrastructure challenges continue to contribute to high fatality rates.
The tanker, which was also transporting cattle, exploded on impact, killing at least 50 animals as well.Abdullahi Baba-Arab, the director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the tragic details.
Rescue operations were immediately initiated at the site of the accident. Initially, 30 bodies were discovered, but in a later update, Baba-Arab reported that 18 more victims, burned beyond recognition, had been found. The victims were given a mass burial due to the severity of their injuries.
Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger state urged residents of the area to remain calm in the wake of the disaster. He also called on road users to exercise caution, stressing the importance of adhering to traffic regulations to prevent future tragedies. “Lives and property must be safeguarded,” he said.
A recurring tragedy
Fatal truck accidents are a common occurrence in Nigeria, where the absence of an efficient railway system means heavy cargo is transported by road. This reliance on trucks increases the risk of fatal incidents, particularly along major highways.
In 2020 alone, Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps recorded 1,531 tanker crashes, which resulted in 535 deaths and over 1,000 injuries. Sunday’s tragedy underscores the ongoing dangers faced by road users in the country, where infrastructure challenges continue to contribute to high fatality rates.
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