At least five dead in Nigeria oil tanker explosion: AFP

IBAFO, Nigeria — At least five people were killed and several wounded when two oil tankers collided and burst into flames in Nigeria's southwest Ogun state on Saturday, an AFP photographer reported.

According to witnesses, the two tankers rammed into each other in heavy rain and exploded. Three big freight trucks along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway also caught fire.

An AFP photographer saw five bodies burnt beyond recognition and five seriously wounded people pulled out of the inferno before firefighters arrived.

An assistant driver from one of the tankers said they were driving from a fuel depot in Lagos, less than 20 kilometres (12 miles) away, when they ran into another tanker while trying to avoid a stationary truck.

"We tried to avoid one stationary truck and ended up crashing into another and there was one big explosion," said a badly burnt Laken Abiodun writhing in pain.

Road accidents are common along Nigeria's poorly maintained highways.

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