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The death toll from Saturday’s tragic petrol tanker explosion in Niger State has climbed to 98, with 69 people injured and 20 shops destroyed.
Initially, 86 deaths and 55 injuries were reported on Sunday, but officials feared the numbers would rise due to the severity of injuries suffered by many victims.
Abdullahi Baba-Arah, Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the updated figures in a statement on Monday. He said, “More deaths have been recorded from the fire incident. The latest figure is now 98 deaths, 69 injured, and 20 shops burnt down.”
Reports revealed that out of the 43 injured victims admitted to the General Hospital in Suleja, seven have succumbed to their injuries. Similarly, three out of the 23 injured patients at the General Hospital in Sabon-Wuse have died. Ten severely injured patients from the Suleja hospital were referred to Abuja for specialist care, while three were discharged after satisfactory treatment.
Both the state and federal governments have pledged to cover the medical expenses of the victims. The Federal Government is also providing financial support for patients referred to Abuja for advanced treatment.
The explosion occurred on Saturday morning when a speeding fuel tanker overturned and spilt petrol on the road. Residents rushed to scoop the fuel but were caught in the devastating fire that followed.
The dead have been buried in a mass grave, and condolences have poured in from across the country. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has established a committee to investigate the cause of the tragedy.
