Four people were injured on Monday morning when a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) laden tanker collided with an empty fuel tanker along the busy Zaria-Kaduna Expressway.
The crash occurred around 8:30 a.m. in the Dan Magaji area, a stretch of road notorious for heavy vehicular traffic and frequent accidents involving articulated vehicles.
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Confirming the incident to journalists, Nasir Falgore, unit vommander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Zaria, said his team’s prompt intervention prevented a far more devastating disaster.
“When we arrived at the scene, it was only the two tankers that were involved in the accident. There was no small car or any other vehicle involved,” Mr Falgore clarified, dismissing other reports circulating in the area.
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“According to preliminary investigations, the LPG tanker allegedly rammed into the rear of the empty fuel tanker. The impact triggered an explosion, sending plumes of smoke into the air and causing panic among residents and commuters in the vicinity.
“Three of the injured were occupants of the empty tanker, while the fourth was from the LPG vehicle. All four victims were rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.”
Authorities cordoned off the area and diverted traffic to prevent further incidents, while fire and rescue personnel worked to contain the explosion’s aftermath.
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Mr Falgore confirmed that no fatalities were recorded as of the time this report was filed, though an official cause of the crash will be determined after a full investigation.
Panic and rescue
A PREMIUM TIMES reporter who visited the scene spoke with some residents of the area,
Alkali Nuhu, a mechanic whose workshop is a short distance from the crash site, described the moment of impact.
“It was like the sky cracked open,” he said, standing near a pile of spare parts still covered in ash.
“We heard a loud bang, then saw flames. People ran, shouting ‘Gas! Gas!’ because the smell was everywhere. It was too dangerous to go near until the fire service came.”
READ ALSO: Eight killed on Nigerian highway as bus collides with tanker
A food vendor, Murja Sani, recalled grabbing her cooking pots and fleeing.
“The smoke was so thick you couldn’t see the next shop,” she said. “We were scared another explosion might follow. The FRSC and fire service were fast. If they had delayed, we wouldn’t be standing here now.”
The Zaria–Kaduna Expressway is a key transport route for petroleum products in northern Nigeria, and Monday’s accident has renewed calls for stricter safety measures for tanker drivers and improved enforcement of road safety regulations.
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