A fuel-laden tanker exploded on Shehu Shagari Way in Maitama, a highbrow area of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Monday, September 23, causing panic and leaving several people injured.
According to reports from Daily Trust, the explosion occurred near a commercial vehicle, injuring some of its occupants.
Eyewitnesses described flames billowing into the sky as motorists fled their vehicles, abandoning them on the busy road in a frantic attempt to escape the inferno. The incident caused significant gridlock, impacting multiple nearby roads, including routes connecting Farmers Market, Nicon Hilton Hotel, MTN, and Chicken House.
A health official from Maitama District Hospital, who spoke with the publication, said the victims were being brought into the hospital for emergency medical care. Some survivors rclaimed that the driver of the tanker fled the scene after the truck overturned and ignited.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the cause of the explosion.