Four people are currently receiving treatment at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, following a fiery collision between two tankers on the Zaria–Kaduna Expressway on Monday morning.
The crash, which occurred at about 8:30 a.m. in the Dan Magaji area, involved a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-laden tanker and an empty tanker. The impact triggered a massive explosion that engulfed both vehicles in flames, leaving the victims with varying degrees of burns.
According to the Zaria Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nasir Falgore, preliminary investigations revealed that the LNG tanker rammed into the rear of the empty tanker after it suffered a sudden tyre blowout.
“The driver of the gas-laden tanker could not stop in time, leading to the collision and subsequent explosion,” Falgore explained.
The incident caused major traffic disruption along the busy highway, which serves as a key link between Kaduna and Kano. Falgore urged tanker drivers to take extra precautions when transporting hazardous materials, including conducting pre-trip inspections, maintaining safe following distances, and avoiding overspeeding.
The Area Commander of the Federal Fire Service in Zaria, Aminu Kiyawa, said firefighters responded within minutes of receiving the distress call.
“By the time we arrived, both tankers were already on fire. We focused on rescuing victims and preventing the blaze from spreading,” Kiyawa said.
Three victims sustained burns from the LNG tanker explosion, while another was rescued from the second vehicle. All were stabilised at the scene before being taken to ABUTH.
Kiyawa emphasised that contrary to rumours circulating on social media, no smaller vehicles were involved and no deaths had been recorded as of the time his team left the scene.
He further explained that handling gas fires required a different approach:
“We used specialised foam and controlled bursts of water to cool the tankers and avoid secondary explosions.”
Eyewitnesses said the explosion could be heard several kilometres away. A nearby trader, Mallam Musa Garba, described it as “like a bomb blast,” while another resident, Mrs. Jummai Umar, said she initially feared a terrorist attack.
This incident is the latest in a series of tanker-related crashes on the Zaria–Kaduna Expressway in recent years. Residents have called for stricter enforcement of road safety rules and more emergency response stations along high-risk routes to prevent further tragedies.
