Gas Explosion Rocks Lagos Market

A gas explosion on Saturday destroyed items worth millions of Naira in one of the shops at Council Bus Stop, along Egbeda-Ikotun Road, Alimosho Local Government Area, of Lagos State.

Naija News learnt that the fire which resulted from the leakage of a gas cylinder in use at one of the shops, led to an explosion and spread to several other shops instantly, as traders and shoppers scampered into safety.

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, (LASEMA), Femi Oke-Osanyintolu and Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Magaret Adeseye, confirmed that there was no casualty in the unfortunate incident.

According to an eyewitness and a trader in the market, Shadia Kareem, who spoke with Vanguard, the incident happened at about 2.15 pm when a raging fire gutted some shops.

The eyewitness said, “The market was full of shoppers when suddenly we heard a loud blast and within a twinkle of a ball of fire and thick black smoke took over the cloud.

“Initially, we didn’t know what happened, we thought it was a bomb that detonated but later realized it was a gas explosion.

“The first responders to the emergency were able to rescue people around and prevent the fire from spreading before the firefighters later arrived.”

As of 3.30 pm, the fire was put under control and completely out out by Ejigbo and Isolo Fire Stations of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service alongside LASEMA, and the Nigerian Police Force from Ikotun Division.

Adeseye, however, attributed the cause of the inferno to negligence in refilling of gas cylinder by the dealer.