Alphonsus Agborh writes on cases of domestic gas explosions in Delta State and the urgent need for safety awareness and proper handling of LPG cylinders.

The frequency in which domestic gas explosions occur in the country, nay, Delta State, has brought the need for domestic gas safety awareness and proper handling of LPG cylinders to prevent such tragedies to the front burner.

The devastating loss of family members in such incidents serves as a sombre reminder of the dangers posed by everyday appliances when handled without proper safety knowledge.

Gas explosion had indeed left indelible marks in the hearts of those family members who are fortunate to be alive, notwithstanding the high degree of burns they suffered and are now contending with. In most cases, human mistakes are the major causes of the explosions. For instance, using outdated or leaking cylinders or igniting matches when one perceives odour of gas could be a threat to gas users.

In Delta State, gas explosions have claimed family members in two devastating occurrences this year, throwing communities and neighbourhood into mourning.

For the family of Sir Sylvester Orukpe Ubhimhinye, a resident in Ekpan in Uwvie Local Government of Delta State, a native of Ohordua in Esan South East Local Area of the state, the preparation for the birthday celebration of their daughter, Ann Obehi, who had recently secured a visa to travel abroad ended on a tragic note recently. The man, his wife and daughter died following injuries they sustained in the gas explosion that rocked their residence in the oil city precisely on May 30, 2025.

The neighbourhood was turned into mourning as residents, helplessly, watched the thick smoke that was coming out of the kitchen and unable to rescue the victims who eventually got burnt beyond recognition.

The explosion was said to have occurred when the man attempted to connect a burner to a smaller LPG gas cylinder while another cylinder was already in use in the same kitchen. This led to a gas leakage that ignited, sparking an instantaneous explosion that engulfed the kitchen and nearby areas in flames.

The mother, Lady Esther, 67, who was stepping out of the bathroom when the explosion occurred, died on the spot owing to the severity of the blast while Ubhimhinye and their daughter sustained critical burns. They were rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) where they later passed on.

In a similar incident, a family of six was wiped away in Agbor, Ika North-East of the state recently when a cooking gas exploded. The victims were identified as Mr. Favour Akpevweta, his wife, three children and a sister-in-law.

The fire started after the gas with which Mrs. Akpevweta was cooking exploded.

An eyewitness account said that Mrs Akpovweta was outside the compound in the evening when she noticed that something was burning in the kitchen. She was said to have rushed inside and entered the kitchen with a burning candle, which triggered the explosion.

The eyewitness further said Mr. Akpevweta, who was in the sitting room with his children, managed to run out of the building but died some minutes later due to the severe of burns he sustained.

These incidents, no doubt, call for caution on the part of users of gas cookers. Because of its highly inflammable nature, cooking gas of liquefied natural gas (LPG) needs to be handled with extreme caution. The gas cylinder, especially including gas cooker, must be well maintained and ascertained that it is in a good condition before being used to refill the product.

According to the director Delta State Fire Service, Mr Eugene Oziwele, gas cylinders that are corroded, sandpapered and repainted are prone to explosion.

While condemning the attitude of some persons who usually refill their cylinders to the brim, the chief firefighter counselled that cylinders should be kept outside the house.

“As you sandpaper and repaint cylinders, the thickness of the metal is being reduced. That is one of the major issues,” Mr Oziwele explained.

Another issue, according to him, is the ignorance of those filling their cylinders to the brim.

“Gas is always in a random motion. If you have a 12kg cylinder, you don’t fill it with 12kg. You give some space. But people who refill their cylinders from these roadside sellers will fill them to the brim, which ought not to be. There should be room for airspace because of the random motion of the molecules.

“Again, if not for security issues, gas cylinders should not be kept in the house; it should be outside. Then you run the pipe from the outside to inside of your house.

“It is important to note that once you perceive any little smell of gas, you don’t light anything. You don’t even switch on your electricity.”

Mr Iziwele warned that even using the torch from mobile phone is very dangerous during a gas leakage.

“The worst of it is using the torch of your phone; it is equivalent to striking a match where there is leakage of gas,” he explained, admonishing users of gas cookers not to attempt managing their cylinders or faulty cookers.

“If you discover your cylinder or gas cooker is having issues and you want to manage it, it is like sitting on the keg of gunpowder. You don’t manage anything gas because, once it happens, it is always explosive.

“And the difference between camping gas and the other is limited quantity of content. But camping gas can also explode if there is leakage or if the cylinder is weak. Once a weak cylinder is sprayed, you cannot get the same texture like when it was bought,” Izewele explained further.

Mr John Perede Akpoyibo, an engineer, safety advocate and community development leader, attributed the Warri and Ekpan explosions to the use of multiple gas cylinders in a confined space and the absence of safety equipment such as gas leak detectors and fire extinguishers.

Akpoyibo, who has been vocal about domestic safety, described the explosion as a completely avoidable tragedy, emphasising the urgent need for increased public education on the safe use of LPG gas in Nigerian homes. He called for safety campaigns and community training, stressing that every household must understand the risks involved in improper gas handling.

“This is not just an unfortunate incident, it is a call to action. We must stop playing with fire. The use of LPG must come with education, preparation, and prevention,” Akpoyibo urged. (Sunday Tribune, but headline rejigged)