A gas cylinder explosion at the Plumbing Market along Uga Street near the Onitsha Bridge Head Market in Anambra State has left two people dead and six others injured. The incident, which occurred on Friday, triggered panic as traders, customers, and passers-by fled the area in fear.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion took place while a welder was using carbide to work on metal. According to Uzomah Eke, a market leader, the blast caused extensive damage and chaos. “Two persons died yesterday in our market at the plumbing section.
A welder was welding iron with carbide when the gas cylinder suddenly exploded, killing two and injuring many others,” he said. Eke described the scene as traumatic, noting that body parts were scattered across the area, prompting many traders to abandon their shops and wares in a rush to escape.
The explosion also damaged goods and property.
Bystanders and other traders rushed to help the injured, taking them to the hospital and working to limit further damage.
While the Anambra State Fire Chief, Chukwudi Chiketa, said he was unaware of the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed it.
He stated that officers from the Onitsha Head Bridge Division responded quickly to support rescue efforts. “Police operatives complemented the rescue of the six victims of a gas cylinder explosion at a plumbing market, which regrettably recorded one death,” Ikenga said.
Preliminary investigations indicate the explosion was caused by the cylinder’s exposure to excessive heat during the welding process.
The six injured individuals are currently receiving treatment in the hospital, and the body of the deceased has been deposited in a morgue.
The police have since secured the area to prevent looting or other crimes in the aftermath. The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, expressed concern over the incident and emphasized the need for strict safety measures to avoid future occurrences.