Four persons were feared dead in a gas explosion that occurred yesterday morning at Aduke Street, off Ojo Road, Ajegunle, Ifelodun Local Council Development Area of Lagos State. Several persons were injured in the explosion.
However, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said that two people died in the gas explosion. It said 23 others were seriously injured in the explosion
The Director-General (DG) of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the development.
He said that when LASEMA officials arrived at the scene of the incident, they discovered that a gas cylinder store had exploded as a result of gas leakage.
He said: “Our further investigations at the scene revealed that the fire ignited as a result of a phone call by an unidentified resident.
“This spread to other nearby shops and a bungalow behind the shops.
“Unfortunately, two children, a male and a female, lost their lives and there were other 23 victims, who sustained multiple burns.
“All the victims have been evacuated to the Burnt Unit, Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos for treatment.”
Oke-Osanyintolu said the remains of one of the two bodies, identified as Damilare Afolabi, had been bagged by the LASEMA Response Team (LRT) and handed over to the family.
He, however, said that the entire area had been cordoned off and that post-disaster assessment was ongoing.
“As a result of visible cracks and intensity of the fire, it is advised that a controlled demolition should be carried out on the burnt structure in order to prevent any secondary incident. Operation ongoing,” he said.
He urged residents to avoid the use of naked fire in the area to prevent further disaster.