Busted: How Lagos explosion killed 15, destroyed 70 buildings, displaced 200 residents

It was a black Sunday for residents of Abule Ado, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, following alleged gas explosion which occurred after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant located near the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s System 2B Pipeline Right of Way.

The explosion is currently the highest that has ever happened in the history of Lagos State in terms of property destruction.

A total of fifteen person was confirmed dead including a family of four (father, mother and two sons) who were on their way to church, while 200 residents were rendered homeless as the explosion destroyed 70 buildings including Bethlehem International Girls Catholic School in the community.

READ ALSO: Video: Pipeline explosion rocks Abule ado, along Badagry/Mile 2 Expressway

The explosion which occurred around 8.45 am on Sunday, cast one’s mind back to January 27th, 2002, Ikeja Military Cantonment bomb blast, when an armoury at the military base, containing “high calibre bombs” went up in flames at about 6.00 pm killing about 1,100 people in the process.

The incident which happened at the front of Bethlehem international catholic school, according to resident is more than a pipeline explosion.

Witnesses 

According to a Civil Defense Operative, Akinwale, who spoke with our reporter at the scene, “I can swear with my life this is no pipeline explosion. I have seen lots of pipeline explosion but I have not seen anything like this. The sound woke me up in my house. It very clear that these vehicles were not burnt, they compressed by the impact of the explosion.

Another resident, Uzoma Phil, said that “I was in my house down, when it happened. Sincerely I thought the world had come to an end because the way everywhere was vibrating. Glasses of our building shattered and the roofing sheets destroyed. The government needs to investigate this explosion because it seems like a planned attack.

READ ALSO: Breaking: Pipeline explosion rocks Abule ado, along Badagry/Mile 2 Expressway

iBrandTV gathered that a Revered Father and Sisters who were officiating the church service at Bethlehem Girls College when the explosion happened were rescued from the debris, unfortunately Rev. Sis. Henrietta Alokha SSH, Principal of the school who struggled to rescue her students in the  explosion became a victim, as the roof fell on her in the process. She died on the way to Navy Hospital.

Apart from the truck that was burnt other vehicles within the scene were compressed like squeezed leaves.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, blamed the  explosion that occurred at the Abule-Ado Area of Lagos State, in the early hours of Sunday, on a gas  explosion which occurred after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant located near the corporation’s system 2B Pipeline Right of Way.

READ ALSO: Abule Ado Explosion: 11 unidentified bodies recovered so far from scene – LASEMA

In a statement in Abuja, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Dr. Kennie Obateru, stated that following the report of the explosion, the corporation quickly halted ongoing pumping operations on the Atlas Cove-Mosimi pipeline which was active at the time.

He noted that the temporary shutdown of the critical System 2B pipeline, would not affect the supply of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, across the country.

Obateru explained that the NNPC had already mobilized its in-house combined team consisting of Health, Safety, Environment experts, medical and security personnel from its nearby Satellite Depot in Lagos, even as Lagos State Fire Service was also rallied to extinguish the fire.

He added that more fire firefighting personnel and equipment were mobillised from the NNPC Mosimi Area Office to provide extra fillip to the ongoing operation.

READ ALSO:DEVELOPING: NEMA says 15 die in Abule Ado, Lagos explosion

The newly appointed spokesperson of the NNPC explained that preliminary findings indicated that the impact of the explosion was so huge that it led to the collapse of nearby houses and damage to NNPC pipeline on which efforts are being made to curtail the resultant fire.

He added that the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari and other top management of the corporation departed to Lagos this evening for an on-the-spot assessment at the scene of the incident.

While assuring members of the public and residents of the affected communities to remain calm, the NNPC’s spokesman assured that the temporary shutdown of the petroleum products pipeline would not affect the normal supply of products to the Lagos and its environs.

He said the fire, currently burring at controlled condition, was being fought headlong, saying a detail assessment of the incident was underway to establish the extent of damage to the pipeline.

“The NNPC Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, commiserated with the victims of the incident, praying that God provides them succor at this hour,” he said.

NEMA says 15 die in Abule Ado, Lagos explosion

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says 15 corpses, including a family of four, have been recovered from the scene of Sunday’s explosion which occurred at Abule Ado,  Trade Fair axis of Lagos State.

No fewer than 60 students of Bethlehem Girls College located within the area who sustained various degrees of injuries in the incident were also taken to the Nigerian Navy Hospital in Ojo Cantonment.

READ ALSO: Abule Ado Explosion: No pipeline explosion in Lagos – NEMA

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Acting  Coordinator of NEMA in Lagos, said that the couple and their two sons were caught by the explosion on their way to church around about 9a.m. on Sunday.

Farinloye said over 50 buildings, including Bethlehem Girls College and a popular hotel, were damaged in the explosion.

He said: “The resulting fire later spread to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) oil pipeline passing through the area even though the pipeline has been shutdown as a precautionary measure.

“The fire was eventually extinguished about 3.30pm through the combined efforts of officials of the Lagos State Fire Service,  Federal Fire Service and Nigerian Navy Fire Tender.”

Students stabilised at the Navy Hospital – NAVY

Also, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, Staff Officer, Western Naval Command, told newsmen that the students were stabilised at the Navy Hospital, adding that those who have fully recovered would be discharged soon.

Daji said although the cause of the incident was still unknown, some residents of the area told security operatives that there was a large number of industrial gas cylinders close to where the explosion occurred.

He said the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with other security agencies had began clearing the pipeline right of way across Lagos State,  adding that the government should revoke the Certificate of Occupancy of houses sited very close to pipelines.

We’ll carry out thorough investigation to unravel the cause – LASEMA

On his part, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osayintolu,  Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said the government would carry out a thorough investigation to unravel the cause of the explosion.

“Our advice to people is that there is no need to panic. We are on top of the situation and the fire has been put out through collaboration by the various agencies.

READ ALSO: OIL IN TROUBLE: Nigeria currently searching for oil buyers – NNPC

“We can neither smell gas nor petrol, we can’t really say this is what led to the fire. We are still waiting for the outcome of the result to know the cause of the fire outbreak,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.

One of the victims of the incident,  Mr Abayomi Abeyi,  said his building was severely damaged while his wife sustained injuries from the explosion.

Abeyi,  who is the Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mile 2,  Amuwo Odofin Branch, appealed to the Lagos State Government to come to the aid of the victims of the unfortunate incident.