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The accident occurred on the road between the cities of Laifa and Makurdi, about 20 miles southeast of the capital Abuja. Photo: TT / @FAUXHEMIAN_ (Twitter)
11 Sep 2018

35 dead in Nigeria tank truck explosion

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At least 35 people died and over a hundred were injured when a tanker exploded at a gas station in the state of Nasarawa in central Nigeria, according to the rescue service.

The explosion on Monday occurred when the tanker was transfering gasoline to the gas station depo, along a major road connecting the cities of Laifa and Makurdi, about 20 miles southeast of the capital Abuja.

A powerful fire broke out and many of the injured victims were there because they had rushed to the scene to see what happened, Usman Ahmed, head of the state's rescue service, said.

"We have 35 confirmed deaths and over 100 injured," said Ahmed to the news agency Reuters.

The authorities will investigate the accident. As late as June, a serious accident occurred in a tanker in Nigeria's largest city, Lagos. Nine people died and over 50 vehicles were destroyed in that accident after a tanker took fire.