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BREAKING: Gas explosions rock Lagos, Calabar, leave two dead, properties destroyed
At least two people have been confirmed dead, with several others injured, following two separate gas-related explosions in southern Nigeria on Saturday, raising fresh concerns over safety standards and emergency response failures.
In Calabar, a gas explosion occurred at Fomex filling station along Edibe Edibe Road in Calabar South Local Government Area at about 9:40 a.m., sending shockwaves across nearby communities.
Eyewitnesses said the blast was so intense that it rattled buildings in the vicinity, with many residents initially mistaking it for a bomb explosion. Although no fatalities were recorded at the time, residents criticised what they described as a delayed response by emergency services, alleging that both federal and state fire services failed to arrive nearly an hour after the incident.
The fire service unit of the University of Calabar was later contacted to assist in containing the situation. The state Commissioner of Police, Rashid Agegbua, visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, a separate tragedy unfolded in the early hours of the day when a gas-laden truck exploded along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in the Sangotedo area, claiming the lives of two men.
The victims, a tipper driver and his assistant, were burnt beyond recognition after their vehicle rammed into a stationary truck carrying gas around 2:00 a.m., triggering a massive explosion.
According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the resulting inferno spread rapidly, engulfing three warehouses and about ten roadside shops, including a gym and a generator house. Several vehicles, including buses and a car, were also destroyed.
Emergency responders from multiple fire stations were deployed and eventually brought the fire under control, preventing further escalation. Authorities confirmed that the driver of the gas truck escaped unhurt.
The twin incidents have once again highlighted the persistent dangers associated with the transportation and handling of petroleum products in Nigeria, as well as recurring lapses in safety enforcement and emergency response systems.
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