Dozens feared dead in Nigeria as leaking oil tanker explodes

An overturned oil tanker exploded in Nigeria while dozens of people were scooping up the leaking fuel, and many were killed, police and witnesses said Saturday.

“We have recovered 12 corpses and taken 22 persons with serious burns to hospital,” police spokeswoman Irene Ugbo said. She said the blast occurred Friday evening in Odukpani in Cross River state in the southeast.

Witness Richard Johnson said about 60 people were inside a pit scooping fuel when the explosion occurred. He suggested the blast was caused by an electrical generator brought in to help pump out the fuel for people's containers.