Two dead as gas explodes in Lagos, destroys shops

Two yet-to-be-identified persons died on Tuesday during an explosion at a shop on Afariogun Street, adjacent the Faith City Hospital, in the Ajao area of Lagos State.

At least nine shops in the area were destroyed by the gas explosion which started from a shop used in refilling gas.

A yet-to-be-identified victim was said to have been rescued by emergency responders and taken to the hospital for treatment.

Confirming the incident, the Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the fire had been extinguished, adding that two bodies were recovered from the scene of the incident.

He said, “The agency received distress calls and upon arrival at the incident scene, it was discovered that there was an explosion at Afariogun Street, Ajao Estate.

“Investigations revealed that the explosion originated from a shop occupied by a gas refilling business. A total of nine shops were affected by the inferno.

“The fire has been extinguished by the combined efforts of LRU fire and Lagos State Fire Service. Two bodies were retrieved within the debris, recovery and retrieval ongoing.”

The Acting General-Manager, Lagos State Fire Service, Margaret Adeseye, when contacted, said “There was an explosion, we have two presumed dead and one victim was taken to the hospital.

“According to the information gathered when my men got to the scene of the incident, an explosion from a shop selling gas led to the fire outbreak. Also, six shops collapsed due to the incident.”