section_path: Explosion
section_name: Explosion
paragraph_text: Explosion
  
  The explosion took place around 9:00 a.m. WAT at the Dikko junction along the major highway connecting Nigeria's federal capital of Abuja to Kaduna. According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger State leader Kumar Tsukwam, the incident began when a tanker truck carrying gasoline overturned, spilling its contents. Local residents including children who had gathered to collect the spilled fuel were caught in the subsequent explosion, which caused another tanker to explode. The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) reported that the explosion occurred when spilled gasoline contacted a generator being used to facilitate the fuel transfer process. The explosion burned and destroyed at least 20 nearby shops.