Seven die as another fuel tanker explodes in Niger

By Rita Iliya

Seven people died while one person was injured in a tanker explosion at Karamin Rami village in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger state.

While confirming the incident, the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) said in a statement issued in Minna on Friday that the explosion occurred on March 4 at about 6:30 p.m. when a tanker truck, attempting to maneuver on a bad road without shoulders, overturned and spilled its content—Premium Motor Spirit (petrol )—into a nearby stream.

According to the statement signed by NSEMA’s Director General(D-G), Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the petrol came into contact with a water pump used by dry-season farmers on their rice fields, igniting a fire that spread back to the tanker, causing an explosion.

The D-G added that the inferno extended to farmlands through the contaminated stream water, burning some farmers and destroying rice fields, fruit crops, and vegetation.

The seven victims were identified as Rafiatu Sahabi, Ramlat Shehu, Rashida Abdullahi Raliya, Abdulrahman, Zainab Ahmed, Zuwaira Idrisu, and Maryam Nura.

Baba-Arah also confirmed that the injured victim, Maimuna Isah, was receiving treatment at the Saho Rami Primary Health Care Center.

Niger State has suffered many deaths and loss of properties as a result of explosion of petrol tanker in recent times.

A tanker explosion at Dikko Junction, Gurara Local Government Area of the state resulted in death of over 80 people, with many also injured.

Many victims were those scooping petrol from the overturned tanker.