Two people have been killed while several shops were burnt in a gas explosion in Ajao Estate, Lagos, the state emergency management agency (LASEMA) has said.
LASEMA Director-General Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu who confirmed the accident on Tuesday said two bodies were retrieved from the debris.
Oke-Osanyintolu said that investigation revealed that the explosion originated from a shop where they were using gas.
He said 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 acting Coordinator of Lagos Office of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) identified simply as Farinloye also confirmed the incident.
Farinloye said a panel beater’s gas exploded at about 6:58 p.m near a roll of 12 shops at Palm Groove Estate, Ajao, Lagos.
He said the incident led to the death of two persons, with two persons rescued, while one was immediately resuscitated the other victims werr 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 was reported that a boat had capsized at about 7:24p.m on Tuesday.
He said that the boat capsized while en route to 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 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.
