Police Launch Investigations into Port Harcourt Gas Explosion

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Victims of the gas explosion that occurred at Big Tree Junction Orazi in Port Harcourt have been moved to Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, the Military Hospital and Sonabel Clinic Port Harcourt for more intensive care. Meanwhile two of the victims, including a five-year-old girl have been confirmed dead.

A devastating gas explosion occurred on Saturday at a gas refill shop around Big Tree Junction, Orazi leaving so many people including women and children with severe burns.

The fire had spread into neighbouring shops and residential buildings catching many of the residents and victims unawares. The owner of the shop, one Chidi and his assistants were said to have however escaped the explosion with minor burns.

The police in Port Harcourt said a total of 18 people were burned in the incident. The Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Grace Iringe-Koko, said the explosion occurred when an artisan in the shop was welding a refrigerator while a gas cylinder was being refilled.

The PPRO said the police have launched a full-scale investigation into the incident and would publish the findings.

An eyewitness of the explosion said the scene was a horrific sight as the victims fell to the flames and burns. She said the victims were initially taken to the nearby Harley Clinic before they were transferred to the teaching hospital and other hospitals with bigger capacities.

She said, “The shop owner was so badly affected. There’s an inner door. So, when the explosion happened, he and his boys used that inner door to escape jumping the fence to the other compound.

“He and his boys escaped through the backdoor but later police came with him to BMH. They couldn’t handcuff him because he had bruises all over his body. He’s still at BMH and his family members are not even there.

“A lot of people are afraid to even identify with him because everyone is angry, they said they’ve been warning him against that evil act he does in the shop. He sells gas, refills gas and does his welding in the same shop, so the community is angry, everybody is angry.”