Nigeria: Many Feared Dead As Petrol Tanker Explodes in Benin

What the report says

A petrol tanker fire in the Oluku area of Benin, Edo State, left an unknown number of people feared dead and several others injured on Thursday, according to Premium Times’ report distributed by AllAfrica. The incident happened around 2 p.m. near Oluku Market after the tanker reportedly tried to make a U-turn, fell and spilled fuel onto the road and nearby drainage channels.

Eyewitnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria that residents and passers-by rushed to collect the spilled fuel before emergency responders secured the area. The report says the blaze began after fuel being carried away in a container leaked and sparked, setting off the inferno. Nearby shops and structures along the drainage were damaged, and people at the scene said some victims suffered severe burns.

The exact death toll had not been confirmed when the report was filed. Ten injured victims were taken to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where medical staff were working to stabilise them, while bodies were taken to the hospital mortuary. Officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps, police, fire service and Edo State Traffic Management Agency were present to control traffic and respond to the emergency. The episode highlights the continued danger of fuel-related accidents and crowding around spilled petrol in Nigeria, where such incidents have often led to major casualties.