42 individuals confirmed dead, 52 injured in Niger tanker catastrophe – NSEMA

The Niger State Emergency Management Authority (NSEMA) has verified that 42 lives were tragically lost, while 52 others suffered injuries in Tuesday’s catastrophic tanker explosion within the state.

The Director General of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba Arah, revealed this information on Wednesday during an interview with Arise Television’s news segment.

Arah attributed the calamity to the deplorable state of the road, which led to the tanker’s tumble and the subsequent spillage of its hazardous contents.

“The dire condition of the roadway is the principal factor behind the toppled tanker that resulted in the explosion,” he articulated.

He elaborated that inhabitants of adjacent villages hurried to the site to gather fuel from the overturned tanker, but a sudden spark ignited a colossal blaze, ensnaring many individuals.

“Due to the poor state of the road, the tanker toppled over. Villagers flocked to collect the fuel, but the elevated temperature triggered the fire, and regrettably, many found themselves ensnared in the raging inferno,” Arah stated.