Abuja [Nigeria], October 19: Nigerian authorities confirmed today that the death toll from a fuel tanker explosion in the north of the country last Tuesday evening has risen to 170, while 70 others remain in intensive care units.
The Nigerian newspaper "The Punch" reported on its website today, quoting police spokesman Lawan Shishu Adam in a statement, that the death toll had increased to 170.
He noted that 70 people were in intensive care at hospitals in the cities of Azare, Nguru and Birnin Kudu, while other injured individuals were receiving treatment in various hospitals.
A previous tally released on Wednesday confirmed 140 deaths from the explosion, with several injured people being transferred to hospitals.
It was reported that a fuel tanker veered off its course last Tuesday evening to avoid a collision with another truck in the "Magia" area of Jigawa state, around 100 kilometres northeast of Kano, the largest city in the north. Following the accident, residents rushed to the scene to collect the fuel that had spilled in the area before the truck exploded.
Source: Emirates News agency