No fewer than nine persons, including a pregnant woman, sustained injuries in a gas explosion near the Ajegunle-Apapa area of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS), the incident is attributed to a gas leakage igniting a high-tension cable which triggered a fire outbreak in an area renowned for its gas cylinder trading activities,
“Regrettably, nine individuals, including a pregnant woman along with several children and adults, sustained varying degrees of burn injuries,” remarked Margaret Adeseye, Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, late Tuesday.
“They received immediate medical attention from the Lagos State Ambulance Service and are currently undergoing further treatment at the Ajeromi General Hospital and Gbagada Burnt & Trauma Centre.”
Property damage resulting from the explosion includes four commercial tricycles, six lock-up shops, and a section of a residential bungalow. However, firefighters successfully safeguarded nearby structures, including a critical fuel service station, averting further losses, as per LSFRS.
A comparable incident occurred days prior in neighboring Ogun State, where one person died and two others sustained injuries in a crash involving a gas-laden tanker at the renowned Itaoshin market in Abeokuta.
“The crash took place at approximately 1610 hrs, involving a gas-laden tanker. There were six individuals involved, all male adults. Two sustained injuries, and unfortunately, one person, the motor boy who was trapped, died,” stated Florence Okpe, spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
“Promptly, the fire service was contacted, and the scene was cordoned off to prevent a secondary crash.”
In response to the incident, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State visited the explosion site, pledging compensation for those affected by the incident in the South-West state.
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