At least 34 people killed in Benin fire
At least 34 people, including two children, were killed on Saturday in a fire in Benin Fire, near the border with Nigeria. At the same time, 20 people have been seriously injured. A fire broke out at a banned fuel depot in Benin. After this incident, there was a cloud of smoke in the sky. A government official and a local resident told AFP news agency that dozens of people were burned to death in the fire. Dozens of bodies were seen on the spot.
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According to locals, the fire started at a smuggled fuel warehouse in the southern Benin city of Seme Podji, where cars, motorcycles and three-wheeler taxis had arrived to refuel. There was a sudden explosion due to a sudden fire here. In this incident, 34 people including two children lost their lives. Explain that African country Nigeria is a major oil producer. Fuel smuggling is common within the country and on its borders. Illegal refineries, fuel dumps and pipelines also sometimes cause fires. The injured are being treated at a hospital, a minister said.
Could not help due to blazing flames
Innocent Sidokpoho, a local carpenter, said he was still in shock after the fire. He had heard people screaming and screaming for help, but due to the blazing fire and strong flames, people could not reach him. As soon as he looked back, there was a black cloud of smoke everywhere.
Two children among 2 killed in fire
Benin's Interior Minister Alsane Seidou told the media that there was a huge fire in the city. However, the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Referring to the unfortunate incident, the official said 34 people, including two children, died in the fire. He was badly burnt due to the fuel explosion. At the same time, 20 people are being treated in the hospital, some of whom are in critical condition.
Black marketing of fuel in Benin
Semevo Naunagon, a local biker, said he was not far from the warehouse at the time of the incident but could not specify the cause. He said that there is a big warehouse of gasoline here. For decades, Nigeria's low-cost subsidized gasoline has been illegally transported by road to neighbouring countries, mainly Benin, according to the report. Fuel is blackmarketed here.
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(This story has not been edited by the NDTV team; it has been published directly from the Syndicate feed.) )