About 15 persons have died in a pipeline explosion that occurred in Abule Ado in Lagos on Sunday Morning. Many houses were affected in the inferno including Bethlehem catholic girls’ secondary school with boarding facilities.
Initially, the cause of the fire could not be readily ascertained as speculations were that it was as a result of a pipeline explosion, but latest briefing by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the Lagos State Fire Service has claimed otherwise.
Although no official casualty has been announced, but many people in the stampede that followed lost their lives including the Principal of the catholic girls’ secondary school, Rev. Sister Henrietta Alokha, according to eye witness account. Most houses within the vicinity were razed while others are in various stages of disrepair.
According to the spokesperson of the Lagos State Fire Service, Shakiru Amodu, he told the press that combined efforts were on-going to quell the fire.
“It has even extended to the pipeline. We are managing the situation, but it is massive here. All agencies are working harmoniously to put out the fire,” Mr Amodu said.
Ibrahim Farinloye, the Acting Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, also said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the explosion was not connected to pipeline vandalism.
“From the information given by officials of the Lagos State Fire Service who are currently on the ground, the implosion is not connected to pipeline but might have occurred in a factory located in the Abule Ado area.
“Emergency responders are on ground while others are still on their way to the scene. The situation is under control and we hope to get more information soon to ascertain its cause,” he said.
Already, about 10 fire trucks had arrived at the scene, together with the men from NEMA and the LGS Fire Service to try and put the fire under control.
Many suspected that the explosion may have been as a result of a bomb owing to its massive impact.
Over 70 buildings were destroyed by the explosion.