Fuel tanker explosion kills at least 94 in Nigeria

Johannesburg — More than 90 people were killed and 50 others injured Tuesday night when a fuel tanker crashed and then exploded in Nigeria, local officials said. A police spokesman said the driver lost control of the vehicle in the town of Majiya, near the northern city of Kano.

A mass funeral for the victims of the accident will be held on Wednesday morning. The injured were being treated at Ringim Basic Hospital, not far from the accident site.

Eyewitnesses said the casualty numbers were so high because, as often happens at fuel truck accident sites, locals arrived quickly in hopes of taking some of the spilled fuel.

“Residents were collecting fuel from the overturned tanker when the explosion occurred, triggering a massive inferno that killed 94 people at the scene,” police spokesman Lawan Adam told The Related Press.

Last month, 48 people died when a flammable tanker collided with a truck loaded with people and livestock. In the disaster, both people and livestock were burned alive.

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Truck accidents are common in Nigeria and are often attributed to the poor condition of the country's roads.

The World Health Organization, in a 2018 report, estimated the number of traffic deaths in the country at approximately 40,000 per year.

Nigerians have faced a cost of living crisis since a national fuel subsidy was removed in May 2023, causing prices to rise. In 2022, approximately 40% of the country's income was spent on fuel subsidies for residents.

Economists have said Nigeria is suffering its worst economic crisis in a generation, and last week saw the second huge increase in fuel prices in a month.

President Bola Thimphu was elected last year on promises to stimulate the economy and attract foreign investment.