…23 buildings, church, market, 15 vehicles affected
One person was feared dead yesterday when a gas plant exploded at the Ajuwon area of Iju-Ishaga, Lagos. At least 30 others were injured in the explosion which occurred about 3.30pm. Also, 23 buildings and 15 vehicles were affected by the explosion. The Lagos explosion came barely 24 hours after about 30 people lost their lives in a fuel tanker explosion in Kogi State.
The Kogi victims included primary school pupils, students of the state-owned polytechnic, a businessman, his wife and three children. But yesterday, residents of Ajuwon, Eliot scampered for safety following the sudden explosion at the gas plant near Dutum Filling Station.
The cause of the explosion was yet to be ascertained at press time but as two fire trucks arrived at the scene 45 minutes later. When New Telegraph got to the scene, the victims were being driven to a hospital in a Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) vehicle.
The Head, Public Affairs of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Nosa Okunbor, said 30 people were seriously injured and were taken to various hospitals, including Iju Water Works Clinic. Okunbor said in an update on the agency’s platform that two of the 30 people were in critical condition and were referred to General Hospital, Ikeja.
The LASEMA spokesman, however, said nobody died in the explosion. He said: “The total number of casualties are 30 consisting of 20 adult males and 10 adult females.” According to him, the LASEMA post-disaster assessment shows that two residential buildings, one church, one event centre, four commercial buildings, and one market, consisting of 15 shanty shops were destroyed by the gas plant explosion. Okunbor added that 11 cars, two mini trucks, and one bus and one heavy duty truck were also affected.
Responders at the scene were the LASEMA Response Team (LRU) paramedics, LRU Fire Team, Lagos State Fire Service, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Red Cross.
