2024 Majiya fuel tanker explosion
| Date | 15 October 2024 |
|---|---|
| Time | ~11 p.m. (UTC Offset +01:00) |
| Location | Majiya, Jigawa State, Nigeria |
| Deaths | 181+ |
| Non-fatal injuries | 80 |
On 15 October 2024, a fuel tanker exploded in Majiya, Jigawa State, Nigeria, killing at least 181 people and injuring 80 others.[1][2][3][4]
Explosion
[edit]The involved tanker came from Kano and had driven around 110 kilometers on its way to Yobe State on 15 October.[5][6] While traveling on an expressway near the town of Majiya in Jigawa State, the tanker overturned while attempting to avoid crashing into a truck, causing petrol to spill onto the road. Many villagers came to the scene and tried to scoop up the spilled petrol. Within minutes, a fire started and an explosion followed. Video footage showed a massive fire stretching along a large area overnight with burned bodies visible. The fire went out in the morning of 16 October.[5][7][8]
Aftermath
[edit]Haruna Mairiga, the head of the Emergency Management Agency in Jigawa State, said that a mass burial took place for the dead.[7][5] Police spokesman Lawan Shiisu Adam stated that at least 100 people, many critically, were injured by the explosion and were taken to hospitals in the towns of Ringim and Hadejia.[7] The Nigerian Medical Association urged doctors to go to nearby emergency facilities.[5]
On 17 October mass funerals were organized.[6]
Reactions
[edit]The Senate of Nigeria held a moment of silence. Vice President Kashim Shettima requested a safety review and said that the federal government would send resources to support the affected people.[5]
President Bola Tinubu later said the review will be "swift and comprehensive“. He stated it will be will carried out together with multiple state authorities and that offenders of the new regulations will be punished. Tinubu sent senior government officials including the ministers of defense and transportation to the disaster site, together with food aid and medical supplies.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Death toll rises to 170 from Nigeria fuel tanker explosion". Firstpost. 18 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ Angbulu, Stephen (22 October 2024). "Jigawa tanker explosion death toll rises to 181, displaces 210 families". The Punch. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Abubakar, Mansur (16 October 2024). "Fire kills 147 people after fuel tanker crash in Nigeria". BBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Tanker Explosion Death Toll Rises To 180, 87 Hospitalised". TVC News. 20 October 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Nigeria fuel tanker explosion kills at least 140, injures dozens". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Mass funerals held for over 150 killed in Nigeria fuel tanker explosion". Al Jazeera.
- ^ a b c "Fuel tanker accident kills at least 147 in Nigeria". Reuters. 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Fuel Tanker Explosion Leaves at Least 90 Dead in Nigeria". The New York Times. 16 October 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Nigeria to review gasoline transport safety protocols after deadly blast". Voice of America. 17 October 2024.