A devastating scene unfolded Sunday evening along the Ore-Benin Expressway in Ondo State, where a petrol tanker overturned and exploded, killing 8 people who had gathered to collect spilled fuel.

According to officials, the unnamed tanker driver lost control of the speeding vehicle near Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area. The white tanker, carrying a full load of petroleum, flipped over and began leaking its highly flammable contents onto the roadway.

Attracted by the prospect of free fuel, area residents hurried to the accident site with containers. Suddenly, the petrol ignited, engulfing the crowds in flames. 8 people perished in the intense blaze, their bodies burnt beyond recognition.

The driver and motor boy, having fled the crashed tanker, survived without injury. Emergency responders rushed to the horrific site Sunday night to transport the charred remains to the local morgue.

The fatal tanker explosion is the latest in a series of catastrophic accidents stemming from Nigeria’s dangerous fuel scooping epidemic. Though illegal, many desperate citizens still take the deadly risk to collect petrol from crashed tankers, lured by the free fuel. Officials have repeatedly warned residents to avoid such hazardous practices in hopes of averting future tragedy.