A tragic incident occurred in Karamin Rami village, Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State when a fuel-laden tanker, struggling to manoeuvre through a bad road without a shoulder, lost balance and overturned, spilling its highly flammable Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, into a nearby stream.
The stream, used by dry-season farmers for irrigation, became the epicentre of a catastrophic chain reaction when the spilt fuel came into contact with an operating water pump.
The pump ignited the fuel, leading to a fierce fire outbreak that swiftly travelled back to the tanker, causing a massive explosion.
Flames spread through the contaminated stream and engulfed the surrounding rice fields and fruit plantations.
By the time the fire was extinguished, seven lives had been lost, and one person was severely injured.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, confirmed the incident in an official statement.
He attributed the tragedy to poor road conditions, which forced the tanker driver to manoeuvre dangerously, ultimately leading to the spill and explosion.
