Lagos Explosion: Family of Four, 11 Others Confirmed Dead

Matilda Omonaiye/

The National Emergency Management Agency says 15 corpses, including a family of four, have been recovered from the scene of Sunday’s explosion which occurred at Abule Ado, Trade Fair axis of Lagos State.

No fewer than 60 students of Bethlehem Girls College located within the area, who sustained various degrees of injury in the incident were also taken to the Nigerian Navy Hospital in Ojo Cantonment.

There were reports that the school principal, Rev. Sr Henrietta Alokha, who reportedly rescued all the school children under her care from the inferno eventually lost her own life.

Acting Coordinator of NEMA in Lagos, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, told the News Agency of Nigeria that “a couple and their two sons were caught by the explosion on their way to church around about 9 a.m. on Sunday”.

Farinloye said over 50 buildings, including Bethlehem Girls College and a popular hotel, were damaged in the explosion.

He said, “The resulting fire later spread to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation oil pipeline passing through the area even though the pipeline had been shut down as a precautionary measure.

“The fire was eventually extinguished about 3.30 p.m. through the combined efforts of officials of the Lagos State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, and Nigerian Navy Fire Tender.”

One of the victims of the incident, Mr Abayomi Abeyi, said his building was severely damaged while his wife sustained injuries from the explosion.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the families of the victims of the explosion.

Buhari also consoled all those who lost property to the incident or were affected in any way, according to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu.

He commiserated with the Lagos State Government and “all residents affected by the unfortunate incident, which left many injured and destroyed property”.

The statement quoted Buhari further, “I have received with sadness the news of this unfortunate incident which caused loss of lives and property.

“A misfortune of whatever scale anywhere is a tragedy to the country, and while the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation makes efforts to determine the cause of the incident, I send my deepest and profound sympathies to the victims, their families, government and people of Lagos state.”

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