It was a black Friday in Tegina, Rafi Local Government area of Niger State, after a tanker-laden with fuel exploded, following an accident, killing about 14 persons.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the tanker was conveying petrol from Lagos to Kaduna when the driver lost control and rammed his vehicle into some residential buildings in the town.
It was learnt that eight houses were razed following the accident which happened around 8:00 am (0700GMT) in the transit town of Tegina in Niger state.
While the fire claimed the lives of the people who were trapped in the buildings and others selling by the roadside, scores were said to have sustained varying degrees of burns in the inferno.
A spokesman for Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state confirmed the accident, but refused to give casualty figures.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, confirmed the incident.
He said the Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, had visited the scene of the accident.
Mr. Elkana said the command would investigate the cause of the accident.