Many are feared dead after a fuel-laden truck exploded around the Karu bridge area of the nation’s capital, Abuja, on Wednesday night.

Witnesses said the truck lost control around the Karu bridge, an area between Kugbo and Nyanya on the Abuja-Keffi Expressway.

They said some cars were trapped in the incident with their occupants unable to escape.

Several residents of the area called up till about 7:50 pm, seeking ways of reaching the relevant emergency services.

The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department confirmed the incident, stating that the explosion occurred at around 7:14 pm on Wednesday.

In a statement signed by FEMD’s Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, the Head of Forecasting Response and Mitigation, Mark Nyam, explained that the accident occurred when the driver of the CNG truck lost control and collided with other vehicles, leading to the explosion.

The statement read, “A ghastly motor accident has occurred at the Karu bridge between Kugbo and Nyanya in the FCT. The accident, which occurred at about 7.14 this evening, involved a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) truck and other vehicles.

“According to the Head of Forecasting Response and Mitigation division of FEMA, Mr Mark Nyam, the accident occurred when the driver of the CNG truck lost control on the bridge there by running into other motorists and leading to an explosion.”