Mimiko
Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko has visited the scene of the saturday night gas explosion at Arakale market area of Akure.
Mimiko, who was accompanied by some top government officials, said the state government would ensure genuine investigation on the cause of the explosion.
He condemned the act, stressing that it was not a bomb blast as being speculated in some quarters.
The Ondo State Police Command, however maintained that no life was lost in the incident, but admitted that few people sustained injuries in the explosion.
But witnesses faulted Police assertion that the explosion did not claim any life, stressing that rescue effort from the fire brigade was slow.
The delay was attributed to lack of vehicles and equipment for them to work with.
During the incident, goods worth millions of naira were also destroyed.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Wole Ogodo said there was no record of death with the Command on the explosion
He said those that got injured were receiving treatment at hospitals and some of them had, however, been discharged.
Ogodo said “It was very sad that this incident happened, but I want to tell you that no life was lost, only few got injured in the incident”.
It would be recalled that several shops and houses were gutted by fire at Arakale market, while a white Toyota Sienna car parked in front of a shop near the scene was burnt into ashes.
Aggrieved residents and traders disclosed that all efforts to get government attention to move the gas plant from the area had proved abortive.
Narrating her ordeal, a trader in the area, Miss Ikechi Ayanwu said, “We were standing outside the house which is close to the shop when we heard a loud noise from the gas explosion. Initially, we thought it was a bomb because of the bang.
“The gas tank was refilled this evening but they did not know it was leaking and it just exploded after it has been exposed to air for a long time”.
Men of the state fire brigade service failed to show up at the scene.
They blamed it on malfunctioning vehicles and strike embarked upon by the workers in the state.
But their counterpart from the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) later came, three hours after the explosion to quench the fire.
It took the combined effort of policemen and soldiers who came to the scene later to return normalcy and prevent hoodlums from hijacking the situation to steal.
Doctors at the state specialists hospital said several persons who got injured in the explosion were rushed to them and have been receiving treatment.
They, however, said the treatment was not full because of strike action embarked upon by medical workers’ union.
According to them, the Victims whose conditions were critical have been rushed to the trauma Centre in Ondo for comprehensive treatment.
As at press time, Arakale road had been condoned off by soldiers and riot-policemen; motorists and other road users were diverted to alternative routes.
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