Another Dark Day For Lagosians As Gas Tanker Explodes, Injures Many

• Fire razes 25 vehicles, no loss of life

BY CHINYERE OBIORA – LAGOS – Another gloomy day befell residents of Lagos State on Thursday night as many people sustained varying degrees of injuries with several property, including vehicles, destroyed in a gas tanker explosion.

The unfortunate incident took place along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja in Lagos with an eyewitness reports noting that the tanker exploded around 10:32pm due to unconfirmed leakage while on its way to Ikeja.

It was gathered that many buildings located within the Government Residential Area (GRA) axis of Ikeja were hugely affected by the impact of the explosion.

However, eyewitnesses’ accounts on the explosion that occurred around Sheraton Hotel area, on the Mobolaji Bank Anthony way, could not readily give insight on what might have caused the tanker to explode.

Reacting to the incident, acting Coordinator, South-West zonal office of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that 13 persons were injured while 25 cars were destroyed due to the explosion.

Farinloye said initial information indicate that the explosion may have been caused by possible leakage while the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker was heading towards its destination in Ikeja.

According to him; “The resulting fire travelled with the wind to the premises of Ogun State Property Investment Company (OPIC) Plaza besides Sheraton Hotels, which houses different commercial outfits including a Chinese Restaurant.”

Further reviewing the situation, the NEMA Zonal Coordinator said; “The fire was put out at about 12.30 a.m., after concerted efforts of five fire trucks from the Lagos State Fire Service and two trucks from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Response Unit.

“The initial search and rescue activities revealed that 13 persons sustained various degrees of burns. Out of this, nine are males while four are females.”

Farinloye, who disclosed that the affected persons were evacuated to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for treatment, said four of the victims with severe injuries were later transferred to the trauma and burns centre at Gbagada General Hospital.

He also explained that a “Comprehensive post-disaster assessment on the extent of general damages would be conducted later today” to have further and detailed information on the incident.

Thursday’s incident is coming about six weeks after the fabric section of Cairo market in Oshodi, Lagos was burnt with goods worth millions of naira destroyed in the market fire.

As at the time of this report, there are no officially recorded loss of life in the latest explosion.

On ground at the scene to take charge of controlling the crowd during the clearance operation was Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Hakeem Odumosu.

In the meantime, an official statement was still being expected from the State Police Command, through its Spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on the casualty figures and other statistics concerning the explosion. – With NAN report