Five persons, including a 10-year-old boy, yesterday, lost their lives following an explosion at an industrial gas retailing outlet in Ladipo Spare Parts Market, Mushin, Lagos.

Eyewitness at the scene of the incident said the explosion happened around 8am when the owner of the gas company was making phone call, while refilling a cylinder cases and there was explosion.

The explosion was said to have spread to a tyre shop close to the gas company and affected other buildings in the area and five persons lost their lives while three saloon cars and one bus that came to load cylinders were also affected by the explosion.

Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, Acting Zonal Coordinator, South West Zonal Office, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), who confirmed the incident said the explosion, which occurred at a shop located at33/35 Ojekunle Street LadipoSpare Parts Market, was caused by phone call.

According to him, the shop had several industrial gas cylinders used for welding purposes.

He said: “NEMA, Lagos State Fire Service, Police Disaster Management Unit and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency immediately responded to the distress signal and were able to contain the fire.

“Unfortunately there were casualties. Five persons were recovered dead including a 10 year-old boy and a woman.” He said investigation by NEMA showed that the shop was earlier sealed because the side of the street was dedicated as mechanic village, which was not accessible to other users,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said immediately they received the signal they moved to the scene. Oke-Osanyintolu said on getting to the scene, the Response Team discovered an open land with shanties and shops where gas cylinders were stored.

He, however, said, the agency’s team and its Fire Unit and Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, have been able to put the fire under control and the fire men are blanketing the affected area.

Unfortunately, three male adults have lost their lives to the incident, but appeals to all residents in the area to remain calm and be cautious of their surroundings as the Responders are working better together to subdue the fire.

“The casualty is five, they were all burnt to death and their bodies have been bagged and taken to their respective families for burial,” he added.

A trader who gave his name as Okorocha said it was an unfortunate incident, they have not settled in the Market when the explosion occurred.

He said when he heard the sound of the explosion he thought it was bomb blast as everyone was running helter skelter, it was after a while that fire started coming from the scene of the explosion.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu who was at the scene to have first hand information about the explosion, said what happened at the gas explosion site was purely human error, “I heard the cylinder blew when filling gas and also making calls and cooking near the retailing shop.” (New Telegraph)