ABUJA, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Six people were burned to death following a tanker explosion in the oil-rich Bayelsa State of southern Nigeria, the road safety police confirmed on Friday.
At least five vehicles were gutted by the fire incident late Wednesday, according to Ikechukwu Igwe, head of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the southeastern Nigerian state. No one was injured by the fire.
Igwe said the driver of the tanker lost control and veered off its lane after discharging fuel at a local gas station in Mbiama area of the state. The tanker fell and went aflame, affecting other nearby vehicles.
Three vehicles were completely destroyed, while others were partially burned, he noted.
The incident was the third tanker explosion reported in Nigeria in the past one week. Altogether, at least 30 people had died following the recent tanker explosions.
The poor condition of roads, over-speeding, over-loading and reckless driving are blamed for being the main cause of the frequent road accidents in Nigeria.
