Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano.
No fewer than 107 people lost their lives following a petrol tanker explosion in Majiya village of Taura local government area, Jigawa State. The death toll was ealier put at 90, then 95 before the latest update.Confirming the rise of the death toll in a press statement, the Jigawa State Police Command, said tanker entered through the drainage at the outskirts of the village.
The statement read: “A tragic and devastating incident occurred on October 15, 2024, at about 2230hrs, involving a petrol tanker with registration number KMC 6412 F, driven by one Yusuf Mohd ‘m’ age 32yrs of Hotoro Quarters, Kano State.”
“The tanker was traveling from Kano to Nguru, Yobe State, when the driver lost control near Khadija University in Majia Town, Taura LGA, causing it to overturn and spill fuel.
” Unfortunately, villagers attempted to scoop petrol from the drainage, resulting in a flame that engulfed the area and many people were reportedly perished.”
The statement signed by the DSP Lawan Adam, Police Public Relations Officer, said “One hundred and five (105) corpses have been evacuated, while 50 injured persons were rushed to Ringim and Hadejia General Hospitals for medical attention.”
“The fire was successfully extinguished through the combined efforts of police officers, firefighters, and good Samaritans.”
In the early hours of Wednesday, the Police took about 50 victims who sustained various degree of injuries to the hospital for treatment.An eyewitness Adamu Muhammad who narrowly escaped from the scene, said the incident occurred at 12am Wednesday when a tanker exploded at the village.
He said “as the tanker exploded in flames, most of the villagers were abruptly awakened and rushed to the scene.”
“We tried to help but the inferno was too much to be confronted. There were shouting, roaring from the people who went to scoop for the fuel, coming out from the crashed tanker.”
Another resident, Musa Sani, explained that “It was terrifying. People were running in all directions, screaming for help. The fire spread so quickly that many couldn’t escape.”
