‘I was driving out when the truck exploded’ — survivor speaks on Lagos explosion

A survivor of the gas explosion that occurred at Ajuwon, Iju/Ishaga road, Ifako-Ijaiye local government area of Lagos, has shared his experience.

Speaking with TheCable at Pacific Hospital, Ajuwon, where he received treatment, the victim gave glory to God for being alive.

“I was driving out from the event centre when the first blast happened, I came down from the car and ran for safety, it was the fire from the blast that got to me, part of my eyes, my legs and my arm were affected too,” he said.

“I thank God that it’s not serious more than this as my boss, the manager of our event centre got more burns than me.”

A nurse at the hospital told TheCable that about nine people were brought in and they all received treatment before they were discharged.

When TheCable visited, Ancilla Catholic Hospital, another hospital which victims of the blast were taken to, the nurse who identified herself as “Sister Mary” said six persons were brought in with various degrees of burns and those with lesser burns were treated.

“About six people were brought in, we treated some for free while some paid certain amount for drugs, one of the victims with the 100% burn was the driver of the tanker, he was immediately referred to Lagos state teaching hospital (LASUTH) in which LASEMA ambulance came to pick him up,” she said.

“Some of the victims self discharged themselves after we treated them, we have only three of the patients as we speak.”

According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the explosion was as a result of a dispute between truck driver and his supervisor at Manna Gas Plant.

Fifteen cars,23 buildings were destroyed when a gas tanker exploded in Lagos on Thursday.

You can view photos from the scene here.