A tragic accident in Kaduna claimed the life of a 28-year-old welder, Kabir Usman, when the tanker he was fixing suddenly exploded while he was inside its compartment.

The explosion happened in Tafa town, along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, within Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Ahmad Bunkau, a local resident, confirmed the incident, recalling the shocking moment.

“I was sitting in a nearby mosque preparing for Friday prayers when I heard a loud blast just after 12 pm. When I stepped outside, I saw flames shooting into the sky, followed by several smaller explosions that lasted about 30 minutes before volunteers managed to put out the fire,” he said.

A police source explained that attempts to get firefighters from Sabon-Wuse in neighboring Niger State failed, as officials said they could not respond outside their jurisdiction.

A police officer from Tafa division, located next to the welding workshop, said many officers panicked and initially ran away, thinking it was a bomb attack.

Later, the Divisional Police Officer, SP Ibrahim Idris, guided the officers to the site to help volunteers put out the fire.

The remains of Kabir Usman were subsequently taken to Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Memorial Hospital in Sabon-Wuse.