Emergency workers are conducting rescue operations at the scene of the petrol tanker accident.

Tragedy struck on Sunday as 48 people died as a result of a petrol tanker explosion that occurred along Bida-Agaie-Lapai- road in Nigeria's North-central state of Niger.

Abdullah- Baba-Arah, director-general, Niger Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), disclosed this in a statement in Minna, the state capital, on Sunday.

He said the agency received report of a deadly petrol tanker explosion that occurred on Sunday at about 12:30 am along Bida-Agaie-Lapai highway.

According to him , the scene of the disaster is two kilometres away from Dendo community in Agaie Local Government Area of the state.

He said the incident occurred when a petrol tanker loaded with petrol (PMS) collided with a trailer truck loaded with travelers and cattle from Wudil in Kano State en route Lagos.

Mr Baba-Arah said two other vehicles, a crane truck and a pickup van were also involved in the multiple incident.

He disclosed that over 48 people have been confirmed dead, with over 50 cows burnt alive.

The director-general said the agency's 'Rapid Respond Team (RRT) and other 'Local Emergency Management Committees (LGEMCs)' were still at the scene of the incident.

He said his agency was still conducting search and rescue operations at the scene of the petrol tanker accident as more corpses were still trapped inside the ill-fated trucks.

(NAN)