A fuel tanker explosion in northern Nigeria has killed at least 94 people and left 50 injured, police said .

Many of the victims had been trying to collect fuel spilt on the road after the tanker crashed in northern Jigawa state late on Tuesday, police spokesman Lawan Shiisu Adam told AFP.

The tanker had veered to avoid colliding with a truck in the town of Majia, he said.

“We have so far confirmed 94 people dead and around 50 injured,” he said, warning the death count could rise.

Following the crash, residents crowded around the vehicle, collecting fuel that had spilled on the road and in drains, Adam said.

He said the residents had “overwhelmed” officers trying to stop them.

The Nigerian Medical Association has urged doctors to rush to nearby emergency rooms to help with the influx of patients.

Fuel tanker explosions are common in Africa’s most populous nation, where roads can be poorly maintained and residents often look to siphon off fuel following accidents.