A devastating gas explosion at an ExxonMobil filling station on Awolowo Road, opposite Airport Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, caused significant damage on Thursday, leaving two people critically injured, destroying six vehicles, and damaging parts of a nearby building.
The explosion occurred around 11 a.m. when a 12-tonne gas truck at the filling station suddenly blew up, triggering a massive fire. According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the explosion severely burned two men, who were immediately rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for urgent medical care. Several others who sustained minor injuries were treated on the spot by emergency responders.
LASEMA’s Head of Public Affairs, Nosa Okunbor, confirmed that the agency responded promptly after receiving distress calls through the emergency lines.
“In response to distress calls received by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, through the 767/112 Toll-Free Emergency lines at 11:08 a.m., the agency activated its Tiger Response Team from the Command and Control Centre, Alausa, Ikeja,” Okunbor stated.
Upon their arrival, the team found the filling station engulfed in flames, with several vehicles and a nearby building already affected by the explosion.
“On further investigations conducted at the incident scene, the fire was attributed to the explosion of a 12-tonne gas truck, registration number unknown, which impacted several cars within the filling station and portions of a nearby building,” Okunbor added.
Emergency services, including personnel from the Lagos State Fire Service, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), and the Nigeria Police, were deployed to the scene to control the situation.
“The fire is under control, as it was quickly contained by the agency’s LRT and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to prevent it from escalating to the surroundings,” LASEMA confirmed.
While no fatalities have been reported, the cause of the explosion is still under investigation. The incident has sparked concern among residents and raised questions about the safety protocols in place for handling such large quantities of gas in densely populated areas.