Dozens feared dead, several vehicles burnt as gas tanker explodes in Karu Bridge Abuja
Several people are feared dead following the explosion of a Compressed Natural Gas tanker near Karu Bridge in Abuja on Wednesday evening.
A video obtained by our correspondent captured a voice urgently calling for help, reporting that the CNG tanker had exploded and that trapped motorists were burning.
Witnesses said the truck lost control near the Karu Bridge, situated between Kugbo and Nyanya on the Abuja-Keffi Expressway.
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department confirmed the incident, stating that the explosion occurred at around 7:14 pm on Wednesday.
In a statement signed by FEMD’s Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, the Head of Forecasting Response and Mitigation, Mark Nyam, explained that the accident occurred when the driver of the CNG truck lost control and collided with other vehicles, leading to the explosion.
The statement read, “A ghastly motor accident has occurred at the Karu bridge between Kugbo and Nyanya in the FCT. The accident, which occurred at about 7.14 this evening, involved a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) truck and other vehicles.
“According to the Head of Forecasting Response and Mitigation division of FEMA, Mr Mark Nyam, the accident occurred when the driver of the CNG truck lost control on the bridge there by running into other motorists and leading to an explosion.”
He noted that the search and rescue teams of the FEMD, the Federal Fire Service, the FCT Fire Service, the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Emergency Management Agency, were on the ground to rescue the casualties.
