The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), has confirmed that two people died while several shops were burnt in a gas explosion, which took place at Ajao Estate, Lagos.
LASEMA Director-General, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the accident on Tuesday, said that two bodies were retrieved from the debris.
Oke-Osanyintolu said that LASEMA received emergency call on Tuesday while the fire had burnt shops and some wares. He explained that upon arrival at the scene, it was discovered that there was an explosion at Ajao Estate.
Oke-Osanyintolu said that investigation revealed that the explosion originated from a shop where they were using gas. He said that a total of nine shops were affected by the fire, adding that the fire had been extinguished by the combined efforts of LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) and Lagos State Fire Service.
Also speaking on the incident, Alhaji Farinloye, the Acting Coordinator, Lagos Office of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), also confirmed the incident.
Farinloye said that a panel beater’s gas exploded at about 6:58 p.m in its workshop near a roll of 12 shops at Palm Groove Estate, Ajao, Lagos.
He said that the incident led to the death of two persons, with two persons rescued, while one was immediately resuscitated the other victims was rushed to the hospital with severe burns.
Farinloye said that many shops were partially affected, adding that the explosion occurred while the technician was trying to up his Oxycytelene flame popularly known as cabad’s cylinder.
In a related development, 10 people escaped death in a boat mishap at Marine Police Headquarters, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Oke-Osanyintolu also said that the agency received a distress calls, adding that it were reported that a boat had capsized at about 7:24p.m on Tuesday.
He said that the boat capsized while enrouted Ikoyi from Ilashe.
The LASEMA boss added that the boat had collided with an unidentified object while the second boat with seven passengers was also found to be in distress.
He said that a total of 10 persons, nine adult males and a female, who were involved in the incident were rescued from the water alive by the emergency team.
Pix: scene of the explosion
