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More than 70 killed, dozens injured in Nigeria fuel tanker explosion

More than 70 people were killed and at least 56 were injured in a fuel tanker fire and explosion Saturday in central Nigeria, authorities said. Photo courtesy National Emergency Management Agency/X
More than 70 people were killed and at least 56 were injured in a fuel tanker fire and explosion Saturday in central Nigeria, authorities said. Photo courtesy National Emergency Management Agency/X

Jan. 18 (UPI) -- More than 70 were killed and dozens more were injured in a fuel tanker fire and explosion along a highway in central Nigeria, authorities said Saturday.

The deadly accident happened in early hours of Saturday at Dikko Junction along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in Niger State, about 420 miles northeast of Lagos, the Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency said in a statement.

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The incident came just three months after a crashed fuel tanker exploded in northern Nigeria, killing 147 people and injuring many others who had gathered around the overturned vehicle to gather leaking gasoline.

Citing local reports of the incident, NEMA said a tanker loaded with gasoline was attempting to transfer its load to another vehicle when some of its contents were spilled.

The gas came in contact with the generator being used to power the transfer and triggered an "inferno" that killed at least 70, injured more than 56 others and destroyed shops and property, the agency said.

The flames were so intense that most of those killed were burnt beyond recognition. Some of the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention.

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Most of the victims were members of the community and passers-by.

NEMA Director General Zubaida Umar expressed "deep sympathy" for the victims and their families and condemned what she called poor handling of spilled tankers, which has resulted in "recurrent tragedies" in Nigeria.

"This incident serves as another grim reminder of the need for strict adherence to safety measures during such emergencies," the agency said.

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