More than 50 persons lost their lives in a petrol tanker explosion on Saturday.
The incident happened on the Dikko-Maje road opposite Badeggi fuelling station in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
Mr Kumar Tsukwam, Federal Road Safety Commander (FRSC) in Niger, confirmed this in Minna.
He said a loaded petrol tanker fell at the scene of the incident with people scooping the spilling fuel, unaware of the impending danger.
Tsukwam said those who went to scoop fuel were engulfed by the flames just as those who went to rescue them were also affected.
He said more than 50 people lost their lives in the tragic incident.
Tsukwam, however, gave an assurance that personnel of the corps and other sister agencies were on ground for the rescue mission.
Tsukwam confirmed that his men were on the scene, working tirelessly to rescue those trapped.
Similarly, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba-Arah, Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), said the explosion occurred about 9.am on Saturday.
He said the incident happened when a tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) crashed, and an attempt was made to transfer its contents to another tanker.
In the process, the PMS came into contact with a generator used to effect the transfer, triggering an explosion that claimed more than 50 lives.
He added that many other persons were injured, while properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed.
Baba-Arah said NSEMA, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Suleja LGA Emergency Committee and volunteers, were carrying out search, rescue and recovery operations.
He said the injured have been moved to the hospital for treatment while efforts eere being made to recover the corpses of the deceased.
He urged residents of the area to remain calm and cooperate with emergency responders as they work to mitigate the effects of the disaster.
Meanwhile, Governor Mohammed Umaru-Bago of Niger State has described as unfortunate the death of scores of people in the petrol tanker explosion.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the governor said the incident was worrisome.
He sympathised with the families of the victims and prayed Allah to repose the souls of the departed and heal the injured.
Umaru-Bago advised the people to always behave responsibly and prioritise their safety.
He directed relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to do what was necessary to assist the families of the dead and provide care for the injured.
