A tragic petrol tanker explosion in Majiya Town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State has claimed the lives of at least 90 people, while 50 others have been hospitalized with varying degrees of injury. The explosion occurred late on Tuesday night, at around 11:30 p.m., near Khadija University, when the driver of the petrol tanker lost control.
According to Mr. Shi’isu Adam, the Police Spokesperson in Jigawa, the tanker was en route from Kano to Nguru in Yobe State when the accident happened. The driver lost control of the vehicle, leading to the deadly explosion.
Despite previous warnings from authorities urging the public to stay away from accident scenes involving fuel tankers, many people gathered around the tanker, resulting in the high number of casualties.
“People gathered around the accident scene, that is the reason for the mass casualty,” Adam said in his statement.
The injured victims are currently receiving medical treatment at the Ringim General Hospital. A mass burial for those who lost their lives was scheduled for 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the dangers of crowding around accident scenes, especially those involving hazardous materials like petrol.
