A tragic petrol tanker explosion has claimed the lives of more than 30 individuals in the Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State. The devastating incident occurred when a petrol tanker collided with a trailer truck transporting passengers and cattle from Wudil, Kano, to Lagos.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arab, provided details of the event in a statement. He confirmed that the accident took place in the early hours of Sunday, September 9, 2024, at approximately 12:30 am. The collision occurred along the Lapai-Agaie road, about 2 kilometers from Dendo Community in Agaie LGA.
According to Baba-Arab, the fire resulting from the collision also consumed over 50 cattle that were being transported. In addition to the tanker and trailer, two other vehicles – a crane truck and a pickup van – were caught in the blaze.
“The explosion happened when a petrol tanker, carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), collided with a trailer truck that was loaded with both travelers and cattle heading to Lagos. Two other vehicles, a crane truck and a pickup van, were also involved in the incident,” NSEMA’s statement read.
“Over 30 people have already been confirmed dead, and more than 50 cattle were burned in the inferno. NSEMA’s Rapid Response Team (RRT), in partnership with the Local Government Emergency Management Committees (LGEMCs), is still at the site conducting search and rescue operations. Several bodies remain trapped inside the vehicles.”
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