Gas explosion in Rivers leaves over 20 severely burned, including children

A devastating gas explosion occurred on Sunday at Big Tree, Orazi in Port Harcourt, leaving over 20 persons, including children, severely burned.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with many of the victims receiving treatment at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.

According to eyewitnesses, the explosion occurred in the afternoon, and firefighters later arrived to put out the blaze.

The cause of the explosion is still unknown, but a relative of some of the victims, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed that the owner of the gas retailing shop was also conducting welding activities at the site.

The relative, who was visibly distraught, told The Guardian that his in-law, the husband, and their two children were among those affected by the explosion.

“I was called because my sister-in-law and her husband were involved. I was eating before they called me. When my wife picked the call, her countenance changed immediately.

“ I asked her what happened, and she said that her sister is in Rivers State Teaching Hospital, Fire incident. I lost my appetite immediately and started driving down to this place because I know the place perfectly well because it is my village.

“There’s somebody who refills gas. For quite a long time, he has been filling gas, and he also does welding work. Sometimes, the perforated cylinders you will see him weld without following the normal protocol.

“So, as a result of that incident, the gas exploded and affected the other cylinders inside, causing an explosion. My brother-in-law and his family had just come back from first service and wanted to branch. That was how they joined the chorus.

“Thousands of naira have been spent on their treatment already,” he lamented.

Some of the victims were burned beyond recognition and are currently receiving treatment. Fortunately, no deaths have been recorded as of the time of filing this report.

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A source in the area said most of the victims were passersby who were close to the gas refilling shop when the explosion occurred.

The source noted that the victims were immediately rushed to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital Emergency Unit for urgent attention.

In a separate development, an auto crash on Friday night around the Elelenwo area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, claimed two lives.

A source at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), where the car accident victims were rushed, said operatives of the Rivers State Police Command brought in three victims.

The source noted that while two of the crash victims were brought in lifeless, the third, a lady, was still in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital, battling for life.

A member of the police team that brought the victims, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said the victims were driving in a Toyota Corolla when the accident occurred.

The anonymous officer said the victims were coming back to Port Harcourt from the Eleme axis late Friday night when the driver of the car drove under a stationary truck.

The officer said the two car occupants in front were found dead under the truck, while the other victim, a female in the back seat, was still alive but in critical condition.