The fuel truck skidded, spilled fuel and caught fire after the crash, killing dozens of people, officials said.
An archive image of a burned oil tanker in Nigeria. PHOTO: AFP
A fuel tanker overturned and exploded in Nigeria’s northern state of Niger on Tuesday, killing at least 35 people, the Federal Road Safety Corps said.
The vehicle skidded on the road and spilled gasoline, which ignited shortly after the accident, according to Aishatu Saádu, FRSC sector commander in Niger State. She said the victims were transported to a nearby hospital.
Such incidents are common in Africa’s most populous country, where petroleum products are transported by road due to limited pipeline infrastructure. Poorly maintained and pothole-riddled roads contribute to frequent accidents that claim dozens of lives each year.
