At least 35 dead in Nigerian tanker blast

At least 35 people have been killed and hundreds injured after a gas tanker exploded and started a blaze in the northern Nigerian state of Nasarawa the state emergency agency says.

A State Emergency Management Agency official says the accident happened at a petrol station along the Lafia-Makurdi road linking the capital city of Abuja with northern and southern Nigeria.

SEMA acting director Usman Ahmed said the truck exploded at the point of discharging the gas on Monday, citing a witness account. The agency was investigating the incident, he said.

"We have confirmed 35 dead and over a hundred injured. Most of those that died rushed to the accident spot to see what was happening," Ahmed told Reuters.

Traffic accidents are common in Nigeria, where roads are bad and safety standards poor.

At least nine people were killed in Nigeria's commercial capital of Lagos in June when a petrol tanker caught fire and burnt 53 other vehicles, reports News.com.au.