At the very least 48 individuals have been killed within the central Nigerian state of Niger, after a gas tanker collided with a lorry carrying passengers and cattle, the nation’s catastrophe company mentioned.
The Niger State Emergency Administration Company mentioned the collision occurred at about 00:30 native time (01:30 GMT) on Sunday, and brought on an explosion which engulfed each automobiles.
Director-general of the company, Abdullahi Baba-arah, mentioned response groups have been dispatched to the scene to handle the scenario.
A variety of different automobiles have been additionally caught up within the explosion.
Footage taken from the scene shortly after the incident exhibits the 2 automobiles, which have been solely burnt out, in addition to a lot of useless cattle.
Talking to the Reuters information company after the incident, an emergency rescue employee mentioned they have been working to get better our bodies, in addition to useless animals which have been nonetheless contained in the automobile.
Based on state media, a mass burial is happening for the victims.
Governor Umaru Bago mentioned he was “pained by the unlucky incident” in a condolence message to the households of the victims.
Gas tanker explosions and accidents are frequent in Nigeria, partly because of the poor state of roads.