The death toll of the tanker explosion in the Agaie local government area of Niger State has risen to 59, and all the victims are male.
The public relations officer (PRO) of the State Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Hussain, said eight new bodies were discovered during the evacuation, one person died while receiving treatment for first-degree burns at Federal Medical Centre FMC Bida and two local victims were buried yesterday.
He said, “We lost one of the injured with first-degree burns at FMC Bida, two locals were taken to a village nearby for burial, and the rest was discovered during evacuation.
” It is also possible that more dead bodies will be discovered in the process of the continued evacuation,” the PRO added.
Meanwhile, the sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Kumar Tsukwam, said the accident was caused by overspeeding.
He said the tanker from Lagos on transit to Kano loaded with Fuel was on top speed and lost control.
While reporting the accident, he said that as a result, a trailer, the tanker and Two other vehicles behind got burnt to ashes.
He disclosed that all the victims were males, mainly in the DAF trailer with registration number KJA 23 YF, which was carrying cattle and human beings from Kano to Lagos.