No fewer than seven persons sustained varying degrees of burns after a gas explosion occurred inside a Mobil fuel station along Obafemi Awolowo road, Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Of the total injured persons, two adult males suffered severe burns, while others sustained minor injuries during an inferno that emanated after the gas explosion that occurred at the station sited beside the popular Airport hotel.
Aside from that, over six commercial and private vehicles were razed and the second floor of a two-storey building beside the station was also affected by the fire before being put out on Thursday.
It was learnt that after the explosion occurred, pandemonium broke out, forcing vehicle owners and residents to flee the location, to avoid being trapped by the inferno.
The Guild gathered that the inferno started at about 11 am when a gas tanker was discharging its content at the station and crippled commercial activities along the road to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s office.
Eyewitnesses narrated that the explosion happened when an assistant to the tanker driver, locally called “motor boy”, was preparing the discharge connector on the truck to offload the gas.
The Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who led other emergency officials, disclosed that the agency activated its Tiger Response Team from the Command and Control Centre, Alausa, Ikeja after receiving a call from residents.
He said: “Investigations conducted at the incident scene after our arrival showed that the fire emanated after the explosion of a 12-ton gas truck”.
The LASEMA boss noted that the fire that emanated after the explosion impacted cars within the filling station and portions of a nearby building.
Oke-Osanyintolu, while speaking on the injured victims, disclosed that they were rescued, given pre-hospital care, and transferred to LASUTH for further medical treatment.
