At least 147 people have been killed and 70 others wounded as a result of a fuel tanker explosion in Nigeria, a media report said on Thursday.
The blast in Majiya, a village in Jigawa state, occurred after the vehicle crashed and while locals were attempting to retrieve the fuel, CNN reported.
“The driver lost control and the tanker somersaulted and spilled fuel into a drainage ditch,” said Jigawa police spokesperson Shiisu Lawan Adam.
“As a result, residents rushed to scoop the fuel when the explosion happened.”
A mass burial was held on Wednesday afternoon for the victims, Adam added.
The death toll has been rising steadily since news of the explosion broke, with 147 people confirmed dead by Wednesday evening, according to a statement from Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency.
Fuel tanker explosions are not unusual in Africa’s most populous country, where oil supplies are frequently dispatched by road.
kk/mud
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