The tragic death toll from a petrol tanker explosion in Niger State has now risen to 59 after a catastrophic head-on collision involving multiple vehicles. The incident occurred on Sunday along the Lapai-Agaie road, about 2 kilometers from Dendo Community in the Agaie Local Government Area. The petrol tanker, which was traveling from Lagos to Kano, crashed into another trailer that was transporting over 60 passengers and 50 cows.
In a statement released on Monday, Abdullahi Baba-Arab, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the rising death toll. He noted that ongoing evacuation efforts may reveal additional victims buried beneath the wreckage. “The death toll has risen to 59. We lost one of the injured with first-degree burns at the Federal Medical Centre Bida,” Baba-Arab stated. He also mentioned that two locals had been taken to a nearby village for burial, and more bodies could be found as the search continues.
Kumar Tsukwam, the sector commander of the Niger State Federal Road Safety Commission, provided further insights into the explosion’s cause. He explained that the petrol tanker was traveling at high speed when it lost control, resulting in a crash that led to a massive fire. The tanker, fully loaded with fuel, fell and ignited, causing devastation not only to itself but also to the trailer carrying the people and cows, as well as two other vehicles that were nearby. All four vehicles were completely destroyed in the blaze.
Eyewitnesses reported that one of the passengers in the trailer warned the driver about the approaching fire, but the driver dismissed it as a mere tire burning. Tragically, as they approached the engulfed tanker, the trailer caught fire, leading to the immediate deaths of 35 individuals, while two others who were injured later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
During a phone conversation with a correspondent, Tsukwam also revealed that all the cows involved in the incident were burned in the explosion. He recounted how, upon arriving at the scene, members of the Federal Road Safety Commission discovered individuals attempting to butcher the legs of two cows that had perished in the fire for sale. He cautioned that all the remains of the cows should be incinerated to prevent any potential health risks.
The authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution on the roads to prevent such devastating accidents in the future.