A gas explosion that occurred at Aduke Street, Ifelodun local council development area of Lagos state on Thursday has claimed four lives, leaving about 23 people injured.
It was reported that the fire happened as a result of a call being made by an unidentified resident which escalated to other nearby shops.
The director-general of Lagos Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu said only 23 were injured, adding that those who suffered burns have been evacuated to the Burns Unit, Gbagada General Hospital.
He said five persons including three children and two adult female were seriously burnt and currently admitted at the Gbagada hospital.
“Further investigations revealed that the fire ignited as a result of a call being made by an unidentified resident which escalated to other nearby shops and a bungalow behind the shops.
“Unfortunately, two children (male and female) lost their lives and multiple burn casualties were recorded; a total of 23 in number. “The second body met at the scene was identified as Damilare Afolabi and the remains were bagged by the LASEMA Response Team (LRT) and handed over to the family,” he said.
It was gathered that from investigations conducted by the LASEMA team at the scene of the incident that the 13 shops gutted by fire was due to a gas cylinder that exploded in one of the shops.
The fire was said to have started from the shop which had several cylinders filled with gas. The gas swiftly escalated the ensuing inferno to very high degree.