70 killed, dozens wounded in Nigeria fuel tanker blast

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 70 people have been killed and dozens wounded as a result of a fuel tanker truck explosion in northern Nigeria, a media report said on Sunday.

The tanker overturned and spilled its contents in the Suleja area of North Central Niger state on Saturday, Reuters reported.

It exploded moments after people began scooping up fuel, killing dozens and leaving 25 others injured, including rescuers, officials said.

"As of this report, over 70 bodies have been recovered, 56 individuals are injured, and more than 15 shops have been destroyed," the National Emergency Management Authority said in a statement.

Kumar Tsukwam, the Federal Road Safety Corps sector commander for Niger state, said most of the victims were impoverished local residents who had rushed to scoop up the spilled petrol.

"Large crowd of people gathered to scoop fuel despite concerted efforts to stop them," Tsukwam said in a statement.

He said firefighters had managed to put out the blaze.

Such accidents have become common in Africa's largest oil producer, killing dozens of people in the country grappling with its worst cost of living crisis in a generation.

The accident in Niger state follows a similar blast in Jigawa state last October that killed 147 people, one of the worst such tragedies in Nigeria.

kk/mud