A gas truck on Thursday exploded and burst into flames at a retail outlet of ExxonMobil filling station along Awolowo Way, opposite Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
The ensuing fire left many injured, two of them severely burnt, as well as razing six vehicles, and parts of a nearby building.
Emergency responders said the fire incident was ignited by the explosion of a 12-tonne gas truck at the filling station at about 11 a.m.
Though no fatalities were recorded.
However, two adult males, who were reportedly badly burnt were rushed to the Lagos State Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, for treatment.
Nosa Okunbor, the Head, Public Affairs Unit, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, in a statement said others who sustained minor injuries were immediately rescued and given prompt medical attention by the agency’s pre-hospital care team in collaboration with LASAMBUS.
The statement partly read: “In response to distress calls received by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, through the 767/112 Toll-Free Emergency lines at 1108hrs, the agency activated its Tiger Response Team from the Command and Control Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
“Upon arrival of the Tiger Team at the incident scene, it was observed that the Mobil filling station at the location above was engulfed in flames.
“On further investigations conducted at the incident scene, the fire was attributed to the explosion of a 12-tonne gas truck, registration number unknown, which impacted several cars within the filling station and portions of a nearby building.”
Okunbor also said apart from the LASEMA personnel, operatives of the Lagos State Fire Service and Rescue team, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, and the Nigeria Police joined hands to battle the fire to prevent the fire from escalating.
According to him: “The fire is under control, as it was quickly contained by the agency’s LRT and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to prevent it from escalating to the surroundings.”
