World

Fuel tanker blast kills 18 in Nigeria's southeast

By AAP Newswire

Jan 26, 2025

People gather at the scene of a fuel tanker explosion — Accidents involving fuel tanker trucks have become common in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer. -AP

A fuel tanker truck explosion has killed 18 people in Nigeria's southeast, the national road safety agency says.

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The accident happened on Saturday, a week after almost 100 people were killed in northern Nigeria when a petrol tanker truck overturned, spilling fuel that exploded.

The latest accidents follow a similar blast in Jigawa state in October that killed 147 people - one of the worst such tragedies in Africa's most populous nation.Â

The truck involved in Saturday's incident suffered brake failure and the driver lost control, crashing into more than a dozen vehicles on an expressway in Enugu state, Federal Road Safety Corps spokesperson Olusegun Ogungbemide said in a statement.

He said 10 injured people were rescued and another three were unharmed.

"Unfortunately, the remaining 18 victims were burnt beyond recognition," Ogungbemide said.

Accidents involving fuel tanker trucks have become common in Africa's largest oil producer, which authorities blame on bad roads and reckless driving, often with dozens of fatalities.