MAJIYA/KANO: A fuel tanker explosion in northern Nigeria killed more than 140 people, a spokesman for the national emergency agency told AFP on Wednesday.

Victims were burnt to death on Tuesday trying to collect fuel that had spilled from the crashed vehicle in the town of Majia in Jigawa state.

Nura Abdullahi, a spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said “more than 140” people have been buried in a mass grave and warned the toll was likely to rise further.

The tanker had veered to avoid colliding with a truck in the town of Majia, he said.

“We have so far confirmed 94 people dead and around 50 injured,” he said, warning the death toll could rise.

Following the crash, residents crowded around the vehicle, collecting fuel that had spilled on the road and in drains, Adam said.

Fuel tanker explosion in Nigeria kills at least 52: official

He said the residents had “overwhelmed” officers trying to stop them.

The Nigerian Medical Association has urged doctors to rush to nearby emergency rooms to help with the influx of patients.

Fuel tanker explosions are common in Africa’s most populous nation, where roads can be poorly maintained and residents often look to siphon off fuel following accidents.