Around 70 feared dead in Nigeria fuel tanker crash

LAGOS: As many as 70 people were feared dead after a fuel tanker and six commuter buses crashed in the southern Nigerian state of Anambra late on Friday, Nigerian newspapers said on Saturday.

Related readings:  Strange disease kills 71 in Nigeria's Adamawa State  At least 80 die in new Nigeria unrest  Boat blast kills 5 Chinese workers in Nigeria  200 confirmed dead as troops move into Nigeria's Jos

The This Day newspaper quoted witnesses as saying the fuel tanker was attempting to cross large potholes on the Enugu-Onitsha highway when it toppled over, spilling fuel across the road.

A car crashed into the debris, causing an explosion which engulfed the buses and other vehicles, the newspaper said.

"The six commuter buses were full of passengers and only 17 can be confirmed as those that escaped ... so the number of dead could be 70 or more," This Day quoted the local operations commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission as saying.