Tanker Explosion in Nigeria Kills 80
The fuel tanker hit a deep pothole and overturned, leaking fuel that exploded and burned. An official with the Federal Road Safety Commission blamed the condition of the road surface and said more such accidents will happen unless it is repaired.
A fuel tanker exploded Friday after toppling on its side because it struck a deep pothole in a Nigerian expressway, and as many as 80 people died in the ensuring fire. The Nation, an English-language newspaper based in Lagos State, today reported at least eight vehicles, including five fully loaded buses equipped with seats for 18 passengers apiece, caught fire.
Ben Ekenna, sector head of Operations for the Federal Road Safety Commission, Anambra State Command, told reporters at the scene that the condition of the road surface caused the accident and said more such accidents will happen unless it is repaired. "Something should be done about this road, and fast, too," he said, according to the newspaper's account. "If not, the lives of commuters and other road users are in great danger."