Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Lagos explosion: Residents demand full-scale investigation


Residents of L and K  area of Oworoshoki, Lagos State, where a gas explosion occurred on Sunday, have urged the  Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to order a full-scale investigation into the cause of the explosion.

Some residents of the area said they needed to understand why a refrigerator gas cylinder could explode and cause such damages in the neighborhood.
One of the residents, simply identified as Mr. Audu, said that the extent of the damages and impact of the explosion, could not be attributed solely to refrigerator gas.
His words: “With due respect to the security agencies who are making professional assessment of the explosion, we residents cannot just assume the explosion was caused by a refrigerator. All the shops along the Oworoshoki road were shattered!An Anglican Church, along Miyaki Street, about 50 meters from the scene of the explosion, had its ceilings and aluminum windows shattered. Some residential buildings had windows and doors of their apartments destroyed.The Governor needs to call for an investigation.”
A safety expert, Mr. Benjamin James, from safety records company, argued that if actually the explosion was from a refrigerator gas, there was no way the impact could cause such amount of damages.

Head of Ilupeju fire station,  Mr. A. Folarin,  disclosed that the Lagos State Government was interested in unraveling the actual cause of the explosion, adding that he had been asked to assess and forward his report.
Folarin added: “I have asked the shop owner and he told me that among the three fridges he has, only one was functioning. He said the other two were faulty. He said that before he left shop on Saturday, he switched off the fridge.”
Meanwhile, Lagos Police Command has dismissed claims by some residents that the explosion was caused by a bomb.
Lagos State Police Public Relation’s Officer, (PPRO), DSP Joe Offor, in a statement said Lagos did not record any explosion at Oworoshoki as being erroneously circulated.
Offor said: “Rather, a minor fire incident occurred at L and K Bus stop in Oworoshoki Lagos. A wine shop went up in flames and this was caused by leaking refrigerator gas. No lives were lost, but three persons suffered burns and were taken to the hospital.”

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