Lagos Gas Explosion: Victim Blames Father

One of the survivors of the Lagos gas explosion that claimed the lives of three people and left more hospitalised has blamed his father for the unfortunate incident.


The incident which happened in the Ajegunle area of Lagos state was cause by the burner of a gas cylinder.
Vanguard reports that one of the survivors, Isaac put the blame on his father’s unwillingness to take his advice. The 16-year-old who is still being treated for burns in a hospital was said to be unaware of his father’s demise which was also caused by the fire outbreak.

The teenager said the burner of the gas cylinder used by the family was faulty and he had bought another one with the intention of fixing it to the newly-filled gas cylinder. He said his father, however, offered to do so against his insistence.

“My father brought the cylinder to the sitting room and opened it, with the intention of tightening the lock. I told him not to open it that it was dangerous but he ignored the advice, saying nothing would happen.

“I do not know what he pressed, but the next thing I heard was a deafening sound and the smell of gas everywhere. As I rushed to tighten the cylinder head, the impact of the fire flung me away.

“This was because the stove was lit and there was pepper soup and rice, which my mother was going to sell later that day.

“At this point, my whole body was on fire. I managed to rush to where we keep our clothes with the intention of using the clothes to put out the fire on my body, but I was still burning.

“At that time, I could not breathe again. I managed to open the burglary proof and went out before people started pouring water on me. I did not know how others escaped.”

Mukaila who lived in the neighborhood said rescue attempt was hindered by the burglary proof at the window.

“When the incident occurred, we heard their desperate shout for help. But nobody could go inside because of the burglary proof. We tried to break it, but could not because it was locked from inside.

“Another cause for their inability to escape was because there was only one escape route which was through the kitchen, which was engulfed by fire.

“We had to break the wall by the balcony, from where the wife, four children and the wife’s niece, who came on holiday, were brought out.

“We were made to understand that they were using coal pot before but that other tenants kicked against it because of the smoke it generated.”

Meanwhile, seven people were killed in Jigawa state when a welding gas cylinder exploded in Ruba village of Kafin Hausa local government area of the state.