No fewer than 15 people sustained varying degrees of injuries following a gas explosion on Sunday afternoon in Ijora Badia, Apapa Iganmu Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
A statement by the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, on Sunday, disclosed that the incident, which took place at around 4:10 pm, involved a 25kg gas cylinder in a mini shop that housed five similar cylinders.
The shop, where the fire was said to have emanated, was located within a bungalow comprising 15 self-contained rooms and seven other shops.
According to Adeseye, the fire was caused by a gas leak due to mishandling, which was ignited by a nearby flame, resulting in a sudden explosion.
“It was a case of poor handling of gas products, which unfortunately allowed gas to escape and come in contact with a flame. This triggered the explosion,” Adeseye stated.
“The resulting fire was swiftly extinguished, and the remains of the gas cylinders were safely evacuated. The danger was completely averted, and normalcy has since returned to the area,” Adeseye added.
She said 15 individuals suffered burn injuries while confirming that no lives were lost and none of the injuries were life-threatening.
She added that several victims received first aid at the scene, while others were transported to nearby hospitals for further treatment.
Adeseye said the fire was quelled by combined efforts of firefighters from the Sari Iganmu Fire Station officials from LASEMA, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and LASAMBUS, the state’s emergency medical service.
A similar gas explosion on the Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in March 2025 left five people dead.
Source: Punch News
