A mass burial was conducted for 140 dead victims of the petrol tanker explosion that took occurred at Majiya town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State on Wednesday.
About 90 other injured victims of the ugly incident are currently in various hospitals in the state receiving treatment.
Spokesman of Jigawa State Police Command, DSP Lawan Adam, explained in a statement.
The explosion occurred Tuesday midnight when the driver of the tanker, travelling from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State, lost control near Khadija University, Majiya.
The tanker, which had departed Kano and was heading to Nguru Town in Yobe State, exploded after the driver lost control.
The disaster, according to the police, was triggered by residents who had rushed to scoop spilled petrol after the tanker overturned.
“The residents were scooping fuel from the overturned tanker when the explosion occurred, sparking a massive inferno that killed 94 people on the spot.
“The incident left another 50 people severely injured, who were then rushed to Ringim and Hadejia General Hospitals for treatment,” DSP Adam said.
He described the scene as a “horrific tragedy,” emphasising the need for the public to understand the risks associated with scooping fuel from accident scenes. (vitalnewsngr.com)
