On Sunday, at least 20 people were burned to death in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area, Ondo State.

According to information obtained, the victims were scooping fuel out of a fuel truck that had fallen and spilled its contents on Sunday along the Benin-Ore-Sagamu Expressway.

An eyewitness claims that the spark from a phone being held by one of the people collecting fuel sparked the fire.

Three children and a pregnant woman who brought N100,000 to the scene to buy fuel, according to the eyewitness, were among the victims of the tragedy.

The eyewitness said, “We were inside the church when the tanker fell and spilled its contents on the road. Shortly after it fell down and spilled the fuel on the road, some persons rushed to the place to scoop fuel.

"At that time, the rain was falling. Despite that, people still rushed there and started scooping fuel when the fire started after a spark from a phone.

“At the scene, we have counted about three children and over 15 bodies we can’t identify, and also a pregnant woman that wanted to buy the fuel also died in the incident. They were burnt beyond recognition.”

When reached, Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, the state police public relations officer, confirmed the event and identified the victims as fuel scoopers.

“They were scooping fuel from a tanker when the fire started. We have commenced an investigation into the matter,” the PPRO stated.