A devastating cooking gas explosion rocked a three-storey building on Odubanwo Street, causing severe injuries to a 4-year-old girl and her grandparents, who are currently in critical condition at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The explosion also left the building in ruins, displacing approximately 11 families.
The tragic incident occurred on Sunday in the Gbinrinmi area of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area in Lagos State. Reports indicate that the grandmother was frying meat when the oil caught fire, and attempts to extinguish the flames proved unsuccessful, leading to the explosion of the cooking gas.
Faridat Shittu, the 4-year-old girl, was sleeping in her room at the time of the incident, and her uncle also suffered burns. Quick response from community members helped put out the fire and rescue the victims.
Territorial Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the South-West, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the grim situation, revealing that the explosion was so intense that it reduced the three-storey building, which had 14 rooms and shops, to rubble.
Pa Femi Odubanwo Solomon, the landlord, shared the harrowing experience of being trapped, saved only by the quick actions of his neighbors. Currently, he is seeking refuge in a church opposite his destroyed residence. The incident leaves a trail of destruction, rendering several families homeless in its wake.
