Taiwo Popoola
Over 50 persons lost their lives in a petrol tanker explosion along Dikko-Maje road, opposite Badeggi fuelling station, in Suleja LGA of Niger State, on Saturday.
Mr Kumar Tsukwam, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Commander in Niger State, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria, Newsmen in Minna.
He said a loaded petrol tanker fell at the scene of the incident and people gathered, scooping the spilling fuel, unaware of the impending danger.
Tsukwam said those who went to scoop fuel were engulfed by the flames just as those who went to rescue them were also affected.
He said more than 50 people lost their lives in the tragic incident.
He, however, assured that personnel of the FRSC and other sister agencies were at the scene, working tirelessly to rescue those trapped.
Similarly, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, said the explosion occurred at about 9:00 am on Saturday.
According to him, the incident happened when a tanker loaded with premium motor spirit, PMS, crashed, and an attempt was made to transfer its contents to another tanker.
In the process, the PMS came into contact with a generator used to effect the transfer, triggering an explosion that claimed over 50 lives.
He said NSEMA, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Suleja LGA Emergency Committee, and volunteers, are currently carrying out search, rescue and recovery operations.
According to Baba-Arah, the injured have been moved to the hospital for treatment, while efforts are being made to recover the corpses of the deceased.
