9 killed, 54 vehicles burned as oil-carrying truck crashes in Nigeria

Burned cars are piled up after a tanker crashed and caused a large fuel fire in Lagos, Nigeria on Thursday. June 28, 2018. Nigerian officials say several people are dead after an oil-carrying tanker truck crashed and burst into flames on a bridge. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigerian officials said nine people, among them a child, were killed after an oil-carrying tanker truck crashed and burst into flames on a bridge in Lagos.

The Lagos state emergency management agency also said in a statement that four other people were injured in the accident on Thursday evening, while 54 vehicles were burned.

It is not immediately clear what caused the crash.

The statement said fire, police, and other authorities were on the scene amid efforts to clear the road of the destroyed vehicles. Local television footage showed emergency responders walking among the charred-white vehicles, some of them still burning inside.

Lagos is Africa’s largest city, with a population of more than 21 million people. Nigeria is one of Africa’s top oil producers.   /kga