Nigeria – Days after a fuel tanker explosion killed 170 mostly young people in Majia, a farming town in northern Nigeria’s Jigawa State, the close-knit community is still reeling from the overwhelming loss.
It was a devastating situation that we've never seen in this town; many lives were lost. said local businessman Mustapha Abdullahi in an interview with Al Jazeera.
According to witnesses, around 11 PM on Tuesday, a fuel tanker transporting fuel from neighboring Kano State swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle and subsequently overturned.
Petrol began leaking from the overturned tanker, prompting passersby and local residents to rush over with bottles to collect the fuel that had spilled onto the ground and into nearby drains.
The driver, who escaped the crash, tried to warn the crowd to leave the area for safety, witnesses said, but most did not listen. Then at about midnight, there was a big explosion, followed by a fire that ripped through the surrounding area.
Abdullahi expressed gratitude to those who assisted, stating that the injured individuals are receiving treatment in several hospitals throughout the state and nearby regions.
Uzair Musa Mohammad, a local butcher who rushed to assist following the initial accident, suffered severe burns but managed to survive.
I was at home when I heard people screaming and calling for help. he recalled. Initially, he remained at home but soon realized that the injured might require assistance. I thought there could be people who needed to be rescued. However, within less than three minutes of arriving at the scene, the fire erupted.
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