Gas explosion rocks storage facility in Lagos

-Owmer, staff of facility suffers life-threatening injuries

Ibrahim Quadri

A gas explosion on Monday occurred in a storage facility at 32 Coker Compound of Orile-Iganmu area of Lagos where the owner and staff of the facility suffered life-threatening injuries.

In a statement signed by Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu , Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, cylinders in a storage facility exploded in the process of transfer of gaseous content from one cylinder to another.

The Permanent Secretary firther disclosed that though no live was lost, the owner and his staff had been taken to an undisclosed hospital.

The statement read, “A gas explosion was reported via the Lagos State 767 / 112 Toll Free Emergency numbers at 1615hrs.

“Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans, with the prompt arrival of LRT from Onipanu Base at the incident scene by 1646hrs.

“Upon arrival at the scene of incident, cooking gas cylinders of various sizes stored in a mini – warehouse was found to have exploded.

“Further investigation revealed that one of the cylinders in the storage facility exploded in the process of transfer of gaseous content from one cylinder to another.

“The building which comprise of six residential flats on two floors, also served as illegal storage facility for about 30 gas cylinders of various sizes used in the storage and sale of cooking gas in a residential area.

“No lives were lost, however, owner of the gas facility and his Staff (Both Adult males), suffered serious life threatening injuries and had been taken to an undisclosed hospital before arrival of the Agency’s Officials.

“The explosion however, didn’t seem to affect the structural stability of the building as there are no visible wall cracks.

“Status: Efforts are ongoing to evacuate all the gas cylinders from the residential building within the next 24 hours, to eliminate the occurrence of secondary explosion.”