FORTY-eight (48) persons who died after a petrol tanker explosion in Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State have been given mass burial.
The incident occurred in the early morning of yesterday, when the petrol tanker had a head-on collision with a trailer truck loaded with travellers and cattle from Wudil in Kano State.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arab who gave the update, yesterday, also confirmed that 48 persons whose bodies were burnt beyond recognition had been given mass burial in the local government.
According to him, following further search and rescue operations, 18 more bodies were recovered in addition to the 30 bodies earlier reported.
“Following further search and rescue operations, my agency discovered 18 more bodies which were also burnt to death and all the dead have been given mass burial,” he said.
Baba-Arab made this known in a statement in which he said the incident happened along Lapai-Agaie, 2km from Dendo Community in Agaie.
He also disclosed that over 50 cattle were also burnt alive and two other vehicles, a crane truck and a pickup van were caught in the inferno.
The NSEMA statements read, “NSEMA has received a report of a deadly tanker explosion that occurred along Lapai-Agaie, 2km from Dendo Community in Agaie Local Government Area.
“The incident occurred when a petrol tanker loaded with PMS collided with a trailer truck loaded with travellers and cattle from Wudil in Kano State heading to Lagos, two other vehicles, a crane truck and a pickup van were also caught in the incident.
