The Explosion which rocked the Amuwo-Odofin LGA Community in Lagos State on Sunday 15th March 2020 at about 9am has been a terrible disaster to the LGA.
The explosion which we reported earlier occurred at Ado Soba, Abule Ado, in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, claimed scores of lives, left several injured , razed and destroyed properties and left many homeless.
It was indeed a black Sunday for residents , as the explosion that occurred left no fewer than 17 persons dead and scores of others inflicted with various degree of injuries and burns.
More than 50 buildings in the area and 10 other buildings in surrounding environs were heavily impacted by the explosion, as hundreds of residents were rendered homeless.
Several houses and cars in about six streets including Customs, Linus and Shoba with many occupants still feared trapped in them.
Over 200 residents of Hyacinth Maduekwe and Chosen Streets, in Abule Ado community were rendered homeless by the blast.
The explosion was said to have been a Gas explosion which was triggered by a truck loaded with core stones that got stuck at Sele Kehinde Street, Abule Ado, Amuwo-Odofin LGA.
Among those affected is the Bethlehem Girls’ College, a catholic boarding school which was completely razed down and destroyed by the explosion.
The Director-General of LASEMA, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu Who was at the site revealed
“While security agents are investigating the cause of the explosion, recovery and rescue activities were carried out by the Ministry of Special Duties, LASEMA, men of the Lagos State Fire Service, the Federal Fire Service Department, the Lagos State Safety Commission, LASBCA and other first responders.
“Seventeen bodies have been recovered, while 25 injured persons are being treated on site,” he added.
The National Emergency Management Agency said it recovered 15 corpses, including a family of four. –
A witness, who identified himself simply as Chibuzor, said his neighbor, who was just delivered of a baby, was trapped after her residence caved in.
He said, “We were in the church when it happened. At first, we thought it was a tanker explosion and we ran out of the church to see what had happened. But on getting out, we saw fire raging.
“My brother’s house was affected and a woman, who just gave birth, was in the house. We cannot hear her voice and she is not picking her calls.
The Spokesperson for Western Naval Command Lagos, Commander Thomas Otuji disclosed that the Nigerian Navy Referral Hospital Ojo was affected by the explosion.
According to Otuji, There were substantial damage done to the ceilings in the hospital.
The hospital had also received and attended to casualties from the explosion site. The hospital attended to 55 persons made up of 36 school children and 19 adults.
One of the adults had about 35 per cent mixed degree burns with inhalation injuries and pulmonary edema. The patient has been admitted into the Intensive Care Unit and connected to a ventilator.
Seven other adults and two children are on admission in the wards while two adults had Traumatic Brain Injury and were referred to LUTH for neurosurgical intervention. The remaining 43 have been treated and discharged. Unfortunately, three people were brought in dead, two females and a Male.
Affected were buildings inside the Trade Fair Complex, located about one kilometre away where hundreds of vehicles parked at a mechanic village were destroyed.
The chairman Mechanic Village Automibile Association, Trade Fair, Mohammed Muritala, confirmed that over 2,500 vehicles, six of their buildings and three ovens were damaged.
Muritala said each of the destroyed oven was worth over 10million, adding that he was thankful the incident occurred on a Sunday, otherwise, the casualty would have been massive.
Among those that were killed during the unfortunate incident was a family of four.
According to a resident, Ebis Michael, said his uncle, Obi Iyio, his wife and two children, Tochukwu and Kachi, were about to go to church when the explosion occurred and they were burnt beyond recognition.
Also One Federick Ose, whose brother, Festus, died during the incident, said,
“My brother wanted to have his child dedication today (Sunday) when the incident happened and he was killed. His wife and children were able to escape. It was not the fire that killed him.”
One of the victims of the incident, Mr Abayomi Abeyi, Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mile 2, Amuwo Odofin Branch, said his building was severely damaged while his wife sustained injuries from the explosion.
The bodies, according to Osanyintiolu, have been deposited at various public mortuaries, while several injured victims were currently receiving medical attention, some due to shock.
Very Sad indeed. May God comfort the families of the lost and damaged properties and may the souls of all the faithful departed rest in perfect peace. Amen.