More bodies found at Lagos site

Nigeria is a major oil producer

Rescuers in Nigeria have recovered more bodies from the site of a huge blast at a fuel pipeline on the outskirts of the commercial capital, Lagos.

At least 60 people are now known to have died in the explosion in Ijegun, an island suburb north of Lagos.

The blast happened on Thursday, as thieves tried to siphon off petrol from the pipeline.

Correspondents say that explosions while people are stealing oil are fairly common in Nigeria.

'Big industry'

Most of the badly charred victims were blown into the river by the force of the explosion.

Police, the navy and local fishermen were still combing the scene for more bodies on Saturday.

In the aftermath of the accident, residents of the town fled in case they were arrested, reports the BBC's Sola Odunfa.

You cannot arrest dead people Emmanuel Ighodalo Police spokesman Villagers flee blast scene

Sources in the oil industry told our correspondent that there had been a "big industry" in Ijegun, stealing oil from pipelines which run through the town, taking fuel from a major import jetty to a distribution depot.

"They have been siphoning fuel for a long time. Unfortunately, there was a spark, or something," our correspondent said.

"People were stealing fuel from the pipeline when it caught fire and exploded," said police spokesman Emmanuel Ighodalo.

"Nobody was arrested because the victims were also the offenders. And you cannot arrest dead people," he said.

Nigeria is one of the world's major oil producers but most of the population lives in poverty.

In 1998, more than 1,000 people died when fuel they were stealing from a pipeline caught fire in the southern Delta region.