Gas explosion claims three lives in Rivers

A gas explosion fire in Rivers State at the weekend has claimed at least three lives.

On Saturday a gas cylinder exploded when a vendor was reportedly refilling a gas can, leaving over 20 people with various degrees of burns.

The incident happened in the big three areas of Orazi Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that a family of four, father, mother and two children were severely affected in the tragic incident.

After the incident 15 of the victims were taken to Rivers State University Teaching Hospital while about five were moved to a health facility within Orazi for treatment.

A source in the area, who was privy to the development, but gave his name simply as Ezekiel, noted that the incident happened around 2 pm, Saturday.

He narrated: “We were in our office when we heard a heavy sound. It did not waste time, people started shouting fire. People started running. Anybody who comes out of the fire will burn immediately.

“There was blue flame everywhere. Even a taxi that was passing some of the passengers in the car was burnt. People working in other shops were affected. Because it is gas, the fire travelled very far and burnt many people and property.

The source disclosed that three of the people involved in the fire incident lost their lives days after the tragedy.

The source said a man identified as Ayo, and his daughter, who were burnt alongside his son and wife, have died.

He said while the five-year-old daughter of Ayo died on Sunday after, that Ayo gave up on Tuesday.

He also noted that a sales girl in a boutique that was also burnt died Monday and was buried a Cemetery in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

He said: “Three people have died. The daughter of Ayo died on Sunday after. The girl was seriously burnt, even his father, Ayo. Ayo had escaped with a small burn when the fire started.

“He remembered that his two children were in the fire. He entered the fire and rescued his son. He entered again and brought out his daughter. By this time the fire affected him very well. His whole body pilled off. Even his cloth burnt off.

“That his daughter died on Sunday, while himself died on Tuesday. Ayo’s wife and son are still in the hospital.

LG chair bans refilling of gas in residential areas.
Following the New Year tragedy, the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Amb. Chijioke Ihunwo has banned the citing of gas-refilling retail offices within residential areas.

Ihunwo, who had on Monday visited the scene of the gas explosion and some victims at Sonabel Hospital in Oroazi, expressed sadness over the incident.

The Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo has expressed heartfelt condolences to the victims of the gas explosion in the Oroazi axis of the LGA.

He described the gas explosion as not only pathetic but unfortunate, promising to take care of the hospital bills of the victims.

He said: “It’s quite unfortunate that this is happening this early in the new year, I am saddened because of the number of persons affected, I was briefed about this incident that is why I am here to sympathise with those who lost their loved ones.

“As a local government, we are going to foot the bills of those who are injured and receiving treatment at the hospital, as a responsive administration we cannot allow our people to suffer this alone, we share in their pains.”

Ihunwo while placing an immediate ban on gas refilling businesses within residential areas in the LGA, said the essence was to curb the reoccurrence of such tragic incidents.

“Let me also announce it here and now that henceforth, no one is permitted to run a gas refilling business in residential areas within Obio/Akpor and to ensure that we put lawbreakers to check, I will be putting in place a special committee with the mandate to move into the various streets and roads to enforce compliance.

“I also enjoin CDC chairmen and youth leaders in the various communities to join this campaign so we can save lives and property of our people, anyone caught defying this ban will be arrested and made to face the law.”