Scores Dead, Many Injured as Gas Explosions Rock Lagos

 

Scores were on Thursday dismembered and several others sustained injuries, including third degree burns, as two gas explosions rocked both the Magodo and Badagry areas of Lagos State.

While the first explosion occurred at the Second Coming Nigerian Limited Gas at CMD road, Magodo, the second one took place hours later at a gas retail plant in Badagry.

At the Magodo explosion, the casualty figure was placed at two with eight others sustaining varying degree of injuries.

The state Police Commissioner, Edgal Imohimi, and the Commander Rapid Response Squad (RRS), ACP Tunji Disu, who rushed to the scene of the fire accident helped in containing the situation.

Imohimi, who was dressed in his police ceremonial uniform having gone to the scene straight from the Armed Forces Remembrance day celebrations, said safety evaluation would be carried out on the scene.

Also confirming the incident, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Adesina Tiamiyi, said the situation was completely under control with the perimeter of the vicinity secured and evacuation of people away from the scene.

He said: "The agency was alerted of a fire outbreak at a gas plant (Second Coming Nigeria Limited) located on CMD Road, Magodo, Ikosi Isheri LCDA at about 7.26 a.m.

 

"On arrival at the scene, it was discovered that the gas plant was engulfed by the inferno. Eye witness posited that the fire outbreak could have been as a result of gas leakage from the gas plant which was triggered by ignition of fire.

"Preliminary investigation by the agency revealed that three reservoir  tanks for gas storage and one 33, 000 litre gas truck in the gas station were engulfed in fire, with a secondary explosion within the gas station.

"Unfortunately, two burnt bodies were recovered behind the fence of the gas station, while eight casualties were also recorded with various degrees of burns and injuries.

"They were attended to by the officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) and the agency's paramedics before moving two of the victims with burns to the Trauma Centre at Toll Gate for further medical attention.

"Also, the men of the Lagos State Fire Service with four fire trucks and the Lagos Response Unit (LRU) Fire Unit with two fire trucks were able to curtail the spread to adjourning buildings in the area.

"Other emergency responders on ground include RRS, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Red Cross, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Federal Fire Service."

Tiamiyu said other measures put on ground was to ensure that officials of the Ikeja Distribution Company (IKEDC) completely isolated  power supply from the affected area to avoid any other incident.

He, however, stated that proper investigation would be conducted to ascertain the possible cause and to prevent future reoccurrence of such incident.

Meanwhile, hours after the first explosion in Lagos, another one, more dastardly, occurred at the Badagry area of the state.

In the second explosion, scores were confirmed dead as the pieces of dismembered bodies littered the scene.

The explosion, which happened at a gas retail shop at Iluda Road, Ajara Vetho in Badagry, occurred at about 10a.m.

According to eyewitness account, the

explosion could have possibly been caused by excessive heat on the cylinders which were locked up in the retail shop.

It was gathered that the force of the explosion tore through the walls of the shop, forcing it to collapse and fall on those in the building, as well as tore some passersby apart.