More than 140 people were killed in a fuel tanker explosion in northern Nigeria, said Nura Abdullahi, spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The victims were burned while trying to collect fuel spilled from a crashed vehicle in the town of Majiyya, in Jigawa State.
The accident occurred two days ago, and Abdullahi stated that “more than 140 people” were buried in a mass grave.
She warned that the death toll is likely to rise.
The tanker swerved to avoid a collision with a truck, said police spokesperson Lawan Shiisu Adam, adding that after the accident, a crowd gathered around the vehicle, collecting fuel spilled on the road and into the drainage system.
He stated that residents “overwhelmed” police officers who tried to stop them.
The Nigerian Medical Association has called on doctors to rush to the nearest emergency unit to help treat the injured.
Fuel tanker explosions are common in Africa’s most populous country, where roads are poorly maintained, and residents often try to drain fuel tanks from vehicles after accidents.
