A gas explosion rocked the Kubwa area of Abuja's Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday morning, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The incident occurred at about 6am near Liberty Junction, along Arab Road in the satellite town, when a Toyota 4Runner lost control and crashed into a cooking gas outlet. The outlet, which stored several gas cylinders, was located near a busy commercial area.
According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle was heading towards the junction when the driver lost control, ramming into the gas outlet. A resident, Monday Lucky, who operates a business along the road, said volunteers rescued the driver, his wife, and their child from the vehicle. The wife sustained a minor injury around her knee and was rushed to a hospital in a commercial tricycle.
Flames broke out a few minutes after the crash, with witnesses describing the fire as intense. Lucky said volunteers initially stopped traffic from both directions to prevent vehicles from approaching the area, but a commercial tricycle operator ignored the warning and passed through the spot, after which the fire erupted. The resident said about three shops located near the gas outlet had people sleeping inside at the time of the incident, but they all managed to escape before the fire started.
The owner of the gas outlet, Mrs. Chioma Madueke, said she had received a 2.5-tonne supply of cooking gas the previous day. She estimated the value of the gas alone at nearly N4 million. Madueke said she lost cylinder accessories, including regulators, control pumps, and hose pipes, as well as several gas cylinders. Some of the cylinders belonged to her customers who planned to buy gas that morning.
The explosion, which witnesses said occurred in about three separate bursts, destroyed the vehicle that crashed into the gas outlet and damaged a nearby fence belonging to a brewery depot. It also reportedly shook some manholes and brought down signboards around the junction. The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Byazhin Division, Kubwa, CSP Musa Nyako, confirmed the incident and said the police were yet to locate the driver of the vehicle.
Emergency responders, including personnel from the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Nigeria Police, were deployed to the scene to put out the fire and prevent it from spreading. The explosion caused a major traffic gridlock along the corridor as commuters, motorcyclists, and residents gathered around the scene.
As of the time of filing this report, normalcy was gradually returning to the area, with emergency responders leaving the scene. The driver was reportedly taken to a hospital for medical attention after the crash, although details of his condition were not immediately available. The incident highlights the dangers of reckless driving and the importance of safety measures in commercial areas.
Key points
- The gas explosion destroyed several shops and vehicles in Abuja's Kubwa area.
- The incident occurred when a Toyota 4Runner crashed into a cooking gas outlet.
- Emergency responders were deployed to the scene to put out the fire and prevent it from spreading.
