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Niger tanker truck blast toll rises to 76
NIAMEY, May 13, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The death toll from a May 6 tanker truck
explosion near the international airport in Niger’s capital has risen to 76,
state television reported late Sunday.
An earlier official report Tuesday gave 60 dead, including 55 who died at
the time of the explosion a few hundred metres (yards) from the airport in
Niamey.
Most of the victims were trying to collect spilt fuel flowing from the
overturned truck when the blast occurred. About 40 people were injured.
Security official Hamani Adamou Abdoul-Aziz had earlier warned that the
toll was likely to rise as several people had sustained severe, life-
threatening burns.
The driver of the truck has told investigators that an electrical failure
caused him to lose control of the vehicle and its brakes. The truck
overturned by the railway track as he was trying to stop it and people then
rushed to collect petrol spilling from the vehicle.
According to witnesses, a motorcyclist who had filled his cans tried to
restart his bike, which caused a spark that ignited the 50,000 litres (13,000
US gallons) of fuel.
The massive explosion on route RN1 near the airport left the burnt truck’s
wreckage, motorbikes and debris scattered over the road.
Nearby houses were damaged by the fire.
Niger held three days of national mourning from Wednesday to Friday in
memory of the victims.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0904 hrs