Auchi, Edo State
A series of powerful explosions struck Auchi, a major administrative town in Nigeria’s Edo State, on Wednesday evening, destroying buildings and shops across three separate areas. The blasts occurred almost simultaneously at around 18:30 local time, sparking initial fears among residents of a coordinated militant attack. However, the Edo State Police Command has since clarified that the incident was a freak accident triggered by a fuel tanker. According to police spokesperson Eno Ikoedem, a tanker overturned on a main road, and the resulting fuel spill seeped into underground drainage tunnels before igniting, causing the “chain reaction” explosions at different points in the community.
Emergency services and police were deployed to cordon off the affected zones, where properties worth millions of naira were reported destroyed. Beyond the blasts, authorities had to intervene to stop crowds of residents from “scooping” spilled fuel from the fallen tanker—a notoriously dangerous practice in Nigeria that has frequently led to high death tolls in the past. While the police confirmed that the prompt intervention helped prevent further loss of life, an official count of casualties or injuries has not yet been established. Investigations are ongoing to ensure the underground tunnels are clear of remaining combustible materials.
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