Abuja, Dec 25 (IANS): Over 35 people were killed in an explosion at an industrial gas plant in Nigeria, the media reported on Friday.
A truck exploded as it off-loaded butane cooking gas in the town of Nnewi in Anambra state, BBC reported.
Reports of casualties vary from 35 to over 100 people, including factory workers and neighbours.
The dead and injured were taken to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi.
A witness told the Vanguard newspaper that the blast was triggered when a truck began discharging cooking gas without waiting for the mandatory cooling time.
Witnesses say the explosion caused a huge fire that firefighters and residents took several hours to put out.