Road crash kills 40 in eastern Nigeria

A tanker carrying a load of diesel crashed into a commuter bus, killing 40 people in eastern Nigeria, news reports said Wednesday.

A tanker carrying a load of diesel crashed into a commuter bus, killing 40 people in eastern Nigeria, news reports said Wednesday.

The tanker carrying 30,000 liters (7,800 gallons) of diesel veered out of control late Monday as it came down a slope near the eastern Nigerian town of Onitsha, witnesses said.

The tanker ran into women selling by the side of the road, before slamming into the bus and bursting into flames.

A number of traders were among the 40 people killed, Lagos newspapers reported. It was not immediately clear if there were injuries.