By Our Correspondent in Minna
No fewer than six persons lost their lives while many others sustained various degree of injuries when an articulated vehicle (tanker), conveying PMS to the northern part of Nigeria exploded on the Lapai-Agaie road in Niger state on Monday.
A Correspondent of The Reporters,an online publication, reports that the incident happened at about 4a.m.
An eyewitness account told the online outfit that the accident occurred when the driver of the tanker tried to overtake another tanker carrying fuel not minding the deplorable condition of the road.
In the process of trying to dodge a pot hole, the driver lost control and hit the tanker and it exploded.
Eye witness account also said that the explosion engulfed vehicles parked by both sides of the road, coupled with shops and other buildings,leading the six persons burnt beyond recognition.
Among the vehicles destroyed by the explosion include; a petrol tanker with fuel, 2 open body trailer, one trailer carrying Keke-Napep while the second one carried Sumo, 2 container trailer and an 18 seating capacity bus.
The timely intervention by authorities of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai saved the situation from causing more destruction to more property.
Meanwhile, the Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Malam Ibrahim Inga, who visited the scene of the accident said five persons lost their lives and blamed the accident on the deplorable condition of the roads.
Anga disclosed that while the agency was taking take stock of the losses in the tanker explosion, another tanker carrying fuel fell within the vicinity of Lapai Local Government but added that the agency had taken a tipto address the problem.
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