At least 30 burn to death in Nigeria road crash

LAGOS, Oct 29 (Reuters) At least 30 people were burnt to death when a fully laden road tanker overturned and caught fire on a busy highway, police said today.

The truck was conveying fuel from the commercial capital Lagos to the northern part of Africa's most populous nation when it crashed and spilled its contents in the southwestern Ogun state late yesterday.

The fire engulfed three commuter buses and four cars, roasting the occupants.

''We have retrieved the bodies of 30 people, but the fire is still burning and more bodies may still be trapped in there,'' said a spokesman for the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Nigerian roads are among the deadliest in the world because of potholes, poorly maintained vehicles and dangerous driving.

Most Nigerian motorists have never taken driving lessons because a licence can easily be obtained for less than 50 dollars.

At least 5,000 Nigerians die in road accidents every year.

Reuters GT GC2310