A late-night gas explosion on Friday claimed the lives of three people and destroyed properties worth millions of naira at Idi-Iroko, Amuloko in Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State, forcing residents and passersby to run in panic.
One of the victims was identified as the owner of the tank farm. The other two were burnt beyond recognition, leaving emergency responders unable to immediately confirm their identities.
Witnesses said the explosion occurred while a gas tanker with registration number LSR268YC, loaded with 15 tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, was offloading into a gas skid tank.
A resident who witnessed the incident said the blast was sudden and intense.
“We can’t say exactly what triggered the explosion,” he explained.
Speaking further, the resident said, “What we know is that there was a loud blast followed by a huge fire. It happened late in the evening. People nearby, including workers around the tank farm, ran for safety but three people were not lucky. They were consumed by the fire.”
He added that several valuables, including parts of residential buildings around the site, were destroyed.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Fire Reform and Chairman of the Fire Services Agency, Hon. Moroof Adebayo Akinwande, confirmed the casualties.
“It was a gas tanker, registered LSR268YC and loaded with 15 tonnes of LPG, that exploded while transferring its content into the gas skid tank.
“The blast damaged two tankers and a residential building. Three persons were recovered and handed over to policemen from Akanran Division,” he said.
He noted that the operation was handled by state firefighters in collaboration with a team from the Federal Fire Service in Ibadan.
“The explosion caused panic among residents, but the prompt arrival of our officers helped bring the situation under control,” he said.
Akinwande urged operators of gas facilities to secure approvals from the Fire Service, DPR and other relevant bodies before installing tanks or cylinders to prevent avoidable disasters.
He assured the community that safety checks had been conducted and that an investigation would determine the cause of the explosion to forestall future occurrences.