UGC of Nigerian tanker on fire 0:20

At least 35 people were killed on Monday and dozens injured when a gas tanker exploded in the northern Nigerian state of Nasarawa and started a blaze.

A State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) official said the accident happened at a gas station along the Lafia-Makurdi road linking the capital city of Abuja with northern and southern Nigeria.

Usman Ahmed, acting director at SEMA, said the truck exploded at the point of discharging the gas, citing a witness account. The agency is investigating, he said.

"We have confirmed 35 dead and over a hundred injured. Most of those that died rushed to the accident spot to see what was happening," Ahmed told Reuters.

Traffic accidents are common in Nigeria, where roads are bad and safety standards poor.

At least nine people were killed in Nigeria's commercial capital of Lagos in June when a gas tanker caught fire and burned 53 other vehicles.</s>Witness says 18 dead after explosion at gas depot in Nigeria; dozens of other people burned

WARRI, Nigeria (AP) — Witness says 18 dead after explosion at gas depot in Nigeria; dozens of other people burned.</s>WARRI, Nigeria (AP) — Witness says 18 dead after explosion at gas depot in Nigeria; dozens of other people burned.</s>Witness: 18 dead after explosion at gas depot in Nigeria

WARRI, Nigeria (AP) — A gas depot exploded in central Nigeria, killing 18 people and leaving some burned beyond recognition, a witness said Monday.

More than 40 other people had burns after the blast in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa state, taxi driver Yakubu Charles told The Associated Press. He said he helped to evacuate victims after more than a dozen occupied vehicles were set on fire. Victims had to be taken to hospitals on motorbikes as no ambulances were available, he said.

Both the Nigeria Police Force and Federal Road Safety Corps confirmed the blast but declined to give a number of casualties.

Nigeria's Senate president, Bukola Saraki, in a Twitter post called the explosion "horrific" and said he met with survivors. He offered prayers for families who lost relatives.

Many gas dealers operate mini-depots in Nigerian cities with no strong measures to regulate their activities, leading to frequent explosions. In January, 10 people died in a blast in Magodo in Lagos state.</s>WARRI, Nigeria — Witness says 18 dead after explosion at gas depot in Nigeria; dozens of other people burned.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>ABUDJA, Nigeria — At least 35 people were killed on Monday and hundreds were injured when a gas tanker exploded in the northern Nigerian state of Nasarawa, an emergency services official said.

The accident happened as the truck was unloading at a gas station along the Lafia-Makurdi road linking the capital city of Abuja with northern and southern Nigeria, said Usman Ahmed, acting director of the State Emergency Management Agency.

The agency was investigating the explosion, he said.

“We have confirmed 35 dead and over a hundred injured,” Mr. Ahmed said. “Most of those that died rushed to the accident spot to see what was happening.”

In June, at least nine people were killed in Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos when a gasoline tanker caught fire and burned 53 other vehicles.</s>WARRI, Nigeria (AP) - A witness says 18 people are dead and more than 40 others have burns after a gas explosion in central Nigeria.

Taxi driver Yakubu Charles says Monday's blast occurred at a gas depot in Lafia, capital of Nasarawa state. He helped to evacuate victims after more than a dozen occupied vehicles burned.

The Nigeria Police Force and Federal Road Safety Corps confirm the blast but decline to give a number of casualties.

Nigeria's Senate president, Bukola Saraki, in a Twitter post calls the explosion "horrific" and says he met with survivors. He offers prayers for families who lost relatives.

Many gas dealers operate mini-depots in Nigerian cities with no strong measures to regulate their activities, leading to frequent explosions. In January, 10 people died in a blast in Lagos state.</s>At least 35 people were killed on Monday and hundreds injured when a gas tanker exploded in northern Nigerian state of Nassarawa, the state emergency agency said.

The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) official said the accident happened on Monday at a petrol station along the Lafia-Makurdi road linking the capital city of Abuja with the north and southern Nigeria.

Television pictures showed firefighters dousing vehicles on the road after the blast, which is said to have happened as gas cylinders were being refilled.

Danjuma Bisalla, deputy head of the Nasarawa state fire prevention department, said traders alerted them to a gas leak but they were unable to stop the fumes igniting.

One onlooker told the private Channels TV that most of the injured were onlookers who refused to move.

President Muhammadu Buhari had offered his condolences to those killed, his spokesman Garba Shehu said in a statement, adding that “several” people were killed.

“The president... expressed grave concern over the high toll,” he added, without specifying a figure.

Households in Nigeria and wider West Africa rely on bottled gas for cooking but accidents caused by improper storage, refilling or lax safety procedures are commonplace.

In one incident in 2015, at least nine people were killed in a blast in the southeastern town of Nnewi as they filled cooking gas cylinders on Christmas Eve.

Ghana’s government last year promised a series of measures after a tanker carrying natural gas caught fire, triggering an explosion that killed seven and injured more than 130.

It was the ninth such incident in three years.

Proposals included a ban on LPG outlets from refilling cylinders on site, and ensuring bottling plants are away from busy commercial and residential areas.

In Lafia, witness Michael Ogbonnaya told Channels TV there had been opposition to locating the gas plant in a residential area.

“They should be on the outskirts because when an incident of such happens, it is usually monumental and you can see from all look of things that a lot of damage has been caused here,” he added.</s>ABUJA, Sept 10 (Reuters) - At least 35 people were killed on Monday and hundreds injured when a gas tanker exploded in northern Nigerian state of Nasarawa and started a blaze, the state emergency agency said.

The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) official said the accident happened at a petrol station along the Lafia-Makurdi road linking the capital city of Abuja with northern and southern Nigeria.

Usman Ahmed, acting director at SEMA, said the truck exploded at the point of discharging the gas, citing a witness account. The agency was investigating the incident, he said.

"We have confirmed 35 dead and over a hundred injured. Most of those that died rushed to the accident spot to see what was happening," Ahmed told Reuters.

Traffic accidents are common in Nigeria, where roads are bad and safety standards poor.

At least nine people were killed in Nigeria's commercial capital of Lagos in June when a petrol tanker caught fire and burnt 53 other vehicles. (Reporting by Camillus Eboh, Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha, Editing by Angus MacSwan)</s>At least 35 people were killed and hundreds injured when a gas tanker exploded in northern Nigerian state of Nasarawa and started a blaze, the state emergency agency said.

The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) official said on Monday the accident happened at a petrol station along the Lafia-Makurdi road linking the capital city of Abuja with northern and southern Nigeria.

Usman Ahmed, acting director at SEMA, said the truck exploded at the point of discharging the gas, citing a witness account. The agency was investigating the incident, he said.

"We have confirmed 35 dead and over a hundred injured. Most of those that died rushed to the accident spot to see what was happening," Ahmed told Reuters news agency.

Nigeria's Senate president, Bukola Saraki, in a Twitter post called the explosion "horrific" and said he met with survivors.

He offered prayers for families who lost relatives.

Traffic accidents are common in Nigeria, where roads are bad and safety standards poor. Many gas dealers operate mini-depots in Nigerian cities with no strong measures to regulate their activities, leading to frequent explosions.

At least nine people were killed in the country's commercial capital of Lagos in June when a petrol tanker caught fire and burnt 53 other vehicles.

In January, 10 people died in a blast in Magodo in Lagos state.
A gas depot explodes in Lafia, Nigeria, killing at least 35 people and leaving some burned beyond recognition.