Two Killed, Seven Injured As Fire Guts Petrol Station In Abeokuta
Omooba Risawe
Two persons were confirmed dead, and seven severely injured,following a fire which gutted a fuel station on Thursday in Abeokuta,Ogun State Capital.
The petrol station,known as Rabeng Petroleum located in Adigbe area,opposite the popular Iya Sunday food canteen in the town went off in flame,while a welder was working on one of the fuel tanks,beside a gas base in the premises of the station.
Our correspondent further report that,as at the time of this report, two persons were confirmed dead and seven others injured,in the fire which spread to about six shops opposite the fuel station
An eyewitness,Seun Ogunme during an interview at the scene of the incident said, the negligence of the welder working with a generator beside the gas base was responsible for the outbreak
It was also observed at the scene that,the fire also destroyed number of properties at the station which include; a Toyota pick-up van,two motorcycles, airconditioners, five fuel pumping machines,office tables and fridges among others.
The eyewitness added further that, the victims were rushed to a nearby hospital, and later refered to State Hospital,Sokenu, Abeokuta for further emergency treatment. The remains of the dead had being deposited in the morgue as at the time of this report.
The fire services, as at the time the outbreak raced to the scene, and put the fire under control before it spread to the neighbourhood, while the scene was put under surveillance by the Civil Defence Corprs.
Another eyewitness,who is a trader opposite the station, Omolola Salami while speaking with our correspondent said,she narrowly escaped death.
Her words ‘Immediately we heard the explosion, we abandoned our shops, but some were not that luck,as the fire caught up with them, and burnt about six shops. A girl, Ruka who was in shop with her mother, was the most unfortunate as the fire burnt her badly’.
The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,NSCDC, Ogun State Command,Akinwale Aboluwaye while speaking with journalists affirmed that,the fire incident was as a result of the negligence of the artisan.
‘As you can see the burnt generator of the artisan. He was said to be welding one of the pumping machine beside the gas base in the station, when the gas attracted the generator and resulted in fire’,Aboluwaye noted.
The Commandant at the scene of the incident, said information showed that, the gas explosion crossed the road, and spread to the opposite shops, destroying about six.
He said as a measure to curtail activities of hoodlums, who may want to loot the station, he has deployed his men to mann the premises, and also called on residents to be watchful.
Meanwhile, at the scene of the incident, our correspondent discovered flesh of some burnt victims, and blood stain which littered the ground, while some personal effects which include mobile phones,wrist watches and car key were found on the spot.
