Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Director-General Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), has said that 17 bodies have were found after explosion at Abule-Ado area of Lagos state.
Oke-Osanyintolu made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday adding that 25 casualties are also being treated for injuries.
He expressed his condolences with the families of those that died, even as he wished the injured ones quick recovery.
Oke-Osanyintolu urged residents of Abule Ado to shun fake news concerning the explosion.
“We the LASEMA Response Team arrived at the incident scene and it was discovered that a raging fire had displaced several residents who fled their abodes for fear of being caught up in the inferno.
“The primary cause of the explosion is yet unknown.
“There are a number of secondary explosions which have caused significant damage to multiple buildings including the levelling of a Church to the ground and the destruction of St. Margaret’s Girls Hostel.
“The causes are yet to be determined, while security agents are investigating the cause of the explosion,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He said that recovery and rescue activities were carried out by the Ministry of Special Duties, LASEMA, Lagos State Fire Service crew, Federal Fire Service Department, Safety Commission, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and other first responders.
He said that operation was still in progress, saying that updates would continue through the course of operation, while investigations remain on going
There were speculations that the explosion emanated from an NNPC pipeline but the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, denied the claims.
The NNPC boss said investigations found that a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant located near the corporation’s system 2B Pipeline Right of Way, which resulted in the explosion.
