From: Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Four persons were killed, on Wednesday, at Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State when a cooking gas exploded.
Many others were also injured in the incident.
It was gathered the incident, which happened at Trinity Gas Limited station, at Obosi, occurred during a refilling of gas to customer’s cylinder, killing the gas station attendant and three customers instantly, injuring scores at the scene.
An eyewitness, Mr. Nnaemeka Chidum, told our correspondent that the explosion severed and scattered the bodies of the victims at the gas station to the extend that parts of their bodies could not be identified.
He said that the casualties could have been more if the fire had spread to the gas tank at the back of the station, but noted that it was only the cylinders that exploded which did not spread to the gas tank that would have affected other nearby houses.
His words, “I was at the other side of the road when I heard a sound like bomb and fire from the gas station. I wanted to run when I heard the sound but feel down and after some time I stood up and saw people running towards the station. When I got there I saw many human parts scattered all over the place, many people were injured which I cannot count but they were rushed to hospital for treatment.” Chidum stated.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) ASP Nkeiruka Nwode, who confirmed the incident, said that four yet-to-be identified dead bodies, suspected to be customers were killed by the explosion while many were injured, adding that their bodies had been deposited at a mortuary at Obosi.
She said that the gas station has been cordoned off while investigation had commenced to ascertain the cause of the explosion, saying that the police would make the report public after the investigation.
The PPRO however commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives to the explosion and prayed God to accept their souls in his Kingdom.