By Gbenga Abulude (Politics & General Desk)
The explosion caused by a gas plant in Baruwa area of Lagos, Thursday morning has left no fewer than eight persons dead and many injured.
The sudden outburst which emanated from the Best Roof Cooking Gas, occurred around 5.45 am and was decimated around 8.38 by men of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
The initial death toll declared by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was 5 but the Director-General, LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu confirmed that the death toll is now 8.
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Preliminary reports have it that about 89 shops, 44 buildings which includes a primary school and worship centre were affected.
Also 23 electric poles, 2 transformers, gas tankers, one tricycle and a motorcycle were engulfed in the explosion said to have occurred around 6 am.
The South-west Zonal Coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, confirming the sad incident said emergency services were quickly deployed to contain the inferno.
According to a source, a power generating set within the facility was on while the tanker was emptying its content into the plant’s storage, triggered the explosion.
It was gathered the gas plant, contained 30 metric tons of gas in its underground storage and while the tanker was offloading, the employees of the company were also in the process of dispensing to a domestic consumer which have led to the explosion.
The explosion threw those nearby and the discharging LPG tanker across the road, thus exacerbating the fire.
According to Mr Farinloye, 5 dead bodies have been recovered which has increased to 8 and 3 injured person including a woman and two children evacuated to the intensive care hospital due to the degree of burns.
He said the destruction was huge because the Best Roof Gas Plant was located in a densely populated community.
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Farinloye said after the initial fire was putting out, the stored gas in the station started discharging the gas but there was no explosion again.
“As at past 9am the fire has been put out completely and the secondary gas leakage from the underground tanker has been put under control as well.
“A preliminary assessment revealed that 44 buildings were affected, a primary school, an event centre, 89 shops, one church, one tricycle, gas tankers, 23 electric poles, two transformers and one motorcycle”, he said.
