Tanker Explosion Kills Three, Injures Eight in Niger

Laleye Dipo in Minna

At least, three persons were killed and eight persons sustained varying degree of injury due to a fuel-laden tanker that exploded in Suleja, Niger State Friday night.

Eyewitness’ account had it that 19 vehicles were completely razed down while fire gutted 35 shops few minutes after the tanker exploded.

A witness who was at the scene explained that the incident occurred at the Dikko junction along the Abuja -Suleja – Kaduna expressway, claiming at least three lives while eight person were wounded.

He claimed that the victims were traders on both sides of the road while some of the burnt vehicles were caught in the traffic congestion along the routes.

“The driver was trying to negotiate the bend into the high way when he lost control resulting in the tanker laden with fuel overturning and spilling its content onto the road.

“The content of the tanker spilled into a naked fire which resulted in the explosion. People ran helter-skelter for their lives with some of them getting injured as a result of the commotion.

“Some of the injured were rushed to the Wuse general hospital for treatment,” the eyewitness said

Speaking on the explosion, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NISEMA) confirmed the death of only one person saying the number of the injured could not be ascertained.

The Director General of the agency, Alhaji Ibrahim Inga who confirmed the report said the incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Friday night and that it also resulted in the burning of several vehicles.

Inga said: “We received a report from our Suleja Desk Officer that there was a tanker explosion and many people were affected. We cannot give the actual number of people that lost their lives.

“We will confirm that during our assessment; but from the report of our Suleja Desk Officer, one person has been confirmed dead as a result of the incident. Many people were injured and several vehicles were completely burnt.

He explained that firefighters from the State Fire Service in conjunction with their counterparts from the Federal Fire Service were able to bring the fire under control around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday morning.

Inga said the corpse of the deceased had been deposited in the morgue at Umaru Musa Hospital, Sabon Wuse, while those injured were receiving treatment at the same facility.

He added that officials of the agency would visit the scene for an assessment.