A gas explosion occurred at a gas station at the Baruwa area of Ipaja, Lagos, in the early hours Thursday morning, October 8, 2020.
The gas tanker explosion occurred around 5:40 a.m. when a Liquified Petroleum Gas tanker was discharging at the Best Roof Plant Station in the area. The explosion was reported to have claimed about 5 lives, leaving properties and valuables destroyed.
Dr. Olufunke Oke-Osanyintolu, the Director General pf the Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA) revealed that, emergency responders have been deployed to the explosion site.
While reports from Ibrahim Farinloye, the Acting Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed that three persons were rescued and five bodies were recovered from the explosion. The rescued casualties were taken to a hospital after the initial first aid treatment on them were administered.
Mr Farinloye disclosed that, the explosion was caused by the generator of the gas station which was on when the LPG tanker was discharging gas to the storage.
He said, ‘At about 20 minutes to 6a.m., at Candos Road, Baruwa Inside, Lagos, a LPG tanker was in the process of discharging at the Best Roof Plant Station and the Station Generator was on and from where it was reported that explosion erupted.’
‘A source revealed that the Gas plant has about 30 metric tons of gas in the underground tank. While dispense to domestic consumer, it also loads LPG Tanks and it was stated that in the process of loading a tank with its generator working and possibly there could a leakage which got to the generator.’
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He said that ‘The explosion threw the discharging tanker across the road. Many buildings have been destroyed.’
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) recorded vehicles destroyed, As well as, two bungalows, four storey buildings; consisting of one Nursery & Primary school, one hotel, one creative center and one residential building that were also razed by the fire.
LASEMA further said the gas valve had been opened to release the gas in order to prevent another explosion while fire fighters were blanketing the whole area.
The previous gas explosion which occurred at Iju Ishaga area of the state on Septmber 24, 2019 also left several persons severely injured and properties destroyed. This has made Nigerians to raise alarm on the location of these gas and petrol stations in densely populated areas in the state. They have urged the state government to pass appropriate laws to deter such oil and gas entrepreneurs from building their chains of fuel stations within residential and dense areas without abiding by best safety practices to prevent life threatening hazards.
Adenike Omosanya
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