Four people are currently receiving treatment at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, after two tankers collided and caused a massive fire on Monday morning in the Dan Magaji area along the Zaria–Kaduna Expressway.
The accident, which occurred at about 8:30 a.m., involved a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-laden tanker and an empty tanker. The collision ignited a blaze that consumed both vehicles and left the victims with varying degrees of burns.
Confirming the incident, the Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Zaria, Nasir Falgore, said preliminary findings indicated that the LNG tanker struck the rear of the empty tanker after the latter suffered a sudden tyre blowout.
“Our initial findings indicate that the gas-laden tanker crashed into the rear of the empty tanker, which had a tyre blowout. The driver of the LNG tanker could not stop in time, leading to the collision and subsequent explosion,” Falgore stated.
He added that the crash caused major traffic disruption along the busy route linking Kaduna and Kano, and urged tanker drivers to be more cautious when carrying hazardous materials.
“Drivers should conduct pre-trip inspections, avoid speeding, and maintain safe following distances. Tankers carrying LNG or fuel should be driven with extra care because the consequences of a crash can be devastating,” he warned.
The Area Commander of the Federal Fire Service in Zaria, Aminu Kiyawa, said his team responded quickly after receiving a distress call from passers-by.
“We mobilised our trucks and personnel within minutes. By the time we got to the scene, both tankers were already on fire. Our priority was to rescue any trapped victims and prevent the fire from spreading,” Kiyawa explained.
According to him, three people sustained burns from the LNG tanker explosion, while one person was rescued from the second tanker.
“All four were stabilised on the scene before being rushed to ABUTH, Shika, for further medical attention,” he noted.
Kiyawa clarified that no other vehicles were involved in the crash. “When we arrived at the scene, only the two tankers were involved. No deaths had been recorded as of the time of our departure,” he said.
He added that his team had to approach the inferno with care. “Gas fires behave differently from petrol fires. We had to use specialised foam and water in calculated bursts to cool the tankers while preventing further explosions,” he explained.
Eyewitnesses reported that the blast could be heard from several kilometres away. Local trader Mallam Musa Garba described the sound as “like a bomb blast.”
“I was arranging goods in my shop when I heard a loud bang, followed by thick smoke and fire. People ran in different directions, shouting for help,” Garba recalled.
Another resident, Mrs. Jummai Umar, said she initially feared a terrorist incident. “We didn’t know what was happening. Everyone was screaming, and some people were trying to pour water on the fire, but it was too big,” she recounted.
The incident adds to a growing list of tanker-related accidents in Kaduna State in recent years. In 2021, a petrol tanker explosion along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway claimed at least seven lives, while a 2023 crash in Makarfi Local Government killed three people and injured several others.
Residents say the Zaria–Kaduna highway has become notorious for such tragedies due to the heavy traffic of large trucks and poor driving practices.
“We see reckless driving every day. Tankers overtake on curves, they speed downhill, and sometimes they are overloaded,” lamented commercial driver, Haruna Bello.
A Red Cross volunteer who helped evacuate victims stressed the need for improved emergency response. “We need more emergency stations along the expressway, especially in high-risk areas like Dan Magaji. Sometimes, by the time help arrives, the fire has already consumed everything,” he said.
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