Nine persons including a pregnant woman were injured in a gas explosion around the Ajegunle-Apapa area of Lagos State.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS) attributed the explosion to a gas leakage which ignited a high-tension cable, causing a fire outbreak in the area known for its gas cylinder trading activities.
“Tragically, nine individuals, including a pregnant woman and several children and adults, suffered varying degrees of burn injuries,” the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said 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.”
Properties damaged following the explosion include four commercial tricycles, six lock-up shops, and a section of a residential bungalow.
But the firefighters managed to salvage nearby structures, including a critical fuel service station, mitigating further losses, LSFRS said.
A similar incident happened some days back in neighbouring Ogun State. One person died and two others were injured in the crash involving a tanker laden with gas at the popular Itaoshin market in Abeokuta.
“The crash occurred at about 1610 hrs involving a tanker laden with gas. The number of people involved was six and all male adults. Two got injured and unfortunately, one person died which is the motor boy who was trapped,” the spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Florence Okpe said.
“The fire service was contacted immediately and the scene was cordoned off to avoid a secondary crash.”
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State visited the explosion site in the wake of the incident and promised compensation for those affected by the incident in the South-West state.