…this is a terrorist attack not a gas explosion – victim
…we will investigate cause of explosion – LASEMA
Joy Anyim
It was a black Sunday, at the Ade -Shoba area of Abule -Ado in Amuwo -Odofin Local Government Area, Lagos, when a suspected gas pipeline explosion resulted in the death of 15 persons, with properties worth billions of naira destroyed.
The correspondent reports that the explosion which started at about 9 a.m., affected over 200 buildings, including the Catholic owned Bethlehem Girls College, a boarding school situated in the area, and at least 2,500 vehicles were also shattered.
While two Reverend Sisters, a family of three, and five students were said to have perished in the inferno, many had also sustained various degree of injuries, and had been taken to Nigerian Navy Hospital, and other private hospital close by.
It was gathered that the inferno was triggered by a tipper supplying sand at a building construction site in Ade -Shoba.
The tipper had allegedly developed a fault and stopped close to a cooking gas refilling station, which was not too far from an NNPC gas pipeline.
Reports had it that the tipper driver had after many failed attempt to start the vehicle, succeeded in turning on the ignition which triggered a spark from the exhaust pipe, leading to the explosion.
According to a Comptroller of the Federal Fire Service, Zone F, Ganiyu Olayiwole, who spoke briefly on the cause of the explosion, the area was already littered with gas emission, which made the fire to spread drastically.
The Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, was on ground to access the situation.
Daji confirmed that 60 students of Bethlehem Girls College were receiving treatment at the Nigerian Navy Hospital in Satellite.
The Rear Admiral who is also the commander of Operation Awatse said there was need for strict government measures to ensure that house owner don’t encroach in the right of way of petroleum pipeline to avoid disaster.
He said : “ It is very unfortunate that once again we have to see this kind of devastation when we are at peace time and not a time of war. The relevant agencies of government carrying out the assessment will determine but from what we have seen on the ground and the evidence gathered so far, there is complexity of some people dealing with cooking gas, that is judging from the several cylinders scattered all over the incident scene. Some eyewitness believed that there was gas leakage that had saturated the air, just waiting for something to ignite it and that truck provided it.
“Our operation to demolish properties on right of way of petroleum pipelines have already been carried out here, but these buildings are outside the pipeline right of way, but looking at the buildings, common since tells us they are not safe, there should be some setbacks, there us need for the relevant agencies if government, particularly the state government, to consider revoking the C of O of building that are not given adequate setback from the pipeline right of way.
“The various units of government are here, I said LASEMA, I saw the anti bomb unit, the Nigerian Navy explosive department is also here, let’s not be too hasty to come to any conclusion. I believe that at the appropriate time, the main cause if this saddens ng devastation will be made known. As at the time of got the report, there were 60 children from Bethlehem school with varying injuries brought to Navy hospital. I am sure those if them who have been stabilised with be discharged hopefully today to go home and those who need follow up treatment will be given. ”
Speaking, the DG and CEO of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Oke – Osanyintolu said the cause of the incident will be thoroughly investigated.
He also stated that the agency cannot give the fatality and casualty figure as rescue operation was still ongoing.
He said : “ It is a very devastating issue, thank God we have a robust emergency plan in place, we have well equipped emergency responders in Lagos State, with that, we are able to be on top of the challenges n here, were able to rescue many people here, the operation is ongoing and we are going to carry out a holistic investigation and we are going to empirical and with that we will be able too tell the people of Lagos State what caused the incident.
“However I will appeal to the people of Lagos to remain calm cool and collected. We are on top of these. When we come up with the details of the investigation, we will tell you the casualty figure, and the fatality figure. What I want you to take is that we are performing our duties well under the watch of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and there was never overlapping of duties and our response was swift, prompt efficient and effective.
The Honourable representing Amuo -Odofin Constituency 2, Rauf Suliamon, however, faulted emergency responders saying the response time was poor, leading to the unquantifiable loss.
He said: “I am short of words. I have been here for hours and all I can see is the evacuation of human bodies. We cannot say the exact number of casualties. We are not concerned about the properties lost but the lives. The response time was very poor. I am in pain as I am standing before you, I am in pain, the response time should have been rapid.”
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Residents of the area, who are still counting their losses, are however divided on the cause of the explosion. While some are of the opinion it was a gas explosion, others are speculating it may be a terrorist attack.
According to a civil servant with the ministry of transport, Madukwe Hyacinth, who lost two buildings and four vehicles in the incident, he started perceiving the smell of gas at about 8a.m.
He said he had instructed his gate man to put off his generator set, thinking the leakage was from one of the houses using cooking gas.
Hyacinth who had just returned from London, on Sunday morning said: “This whole incident is just like a movie scene. I just came back from London this morning and was relaxing in my bedroom when this happened. My wife and my children had gone for morning service, and it was just me and my gate man at home.
“When I started perceiving the smell of gas, I called my security man to put off the generator because there was no light then. I was thinking there was gas leakage from one of the houses around. But shortly after, I heard the sound of the explosion.
“The entire roof of my two buildings went off, the windows were broken, and all I can say now is that I am lucky to still be alive. What if my children and wife were around, God knows what would have happened.”
However, another victim, who gave his name simply as Mr. Timothy, was of the opinion that the explosion was not caused by gas emission.
He said: “I lost my house in this attack, and the authorities are saying it was a gas explosion, I don’t believed that. Did you see the level of havoc done. Over 200 houses affected, several cars destroyed, how can gas explosion blow off the roof of a house without burning it, even house that were afar off were affected. They should investigate this, as I think this is a terrorist attack, camouflaged as a gas explosion.”
Also speaking on losses incurred as a result of the disaster, the chairman Nigeria Automobile Technician Association, Trade Fair branch, Prince Muritala Olawoye said hundreds of vehicles were vandalised as a result of the explosion.
He said the mechanic village had also lost three ovens, worth over N10 million each, as he called on the government to come to their aid.
The commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command, Tunji Disu, a Deputy Superintendent of police, confirmed the arrest of two persons who had tried to loot affected houses in the area.
The correspondent also observed that some occupants of the affected building were already moving their belongings, as sympathisers were also seen consoling their loved ones.
