Five Feared Dead, Many Injured As Tanker Explodes At Kubwa Market In Abuja [Video]

At least five persons have been burnt beyond recognition and many others injured after a kerosene tanker exploded at the popular Kubwa Market in Abuja.

It was gathered that the incident happened on Friday night at the junction leading to the L.E.A Primary School, Jaji Street, and few metres away from St Luke Catholic Church.

Eyewitnesses said operatives from the Nigerians Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) as well as the FCT Fire Service have successfully brought the fire under control.

According to the eyewitnesses, the bodies of five victims were evacuated by the combined team of officers of the Nigerian Police, NSCDC, Fire Service, among others.

The said that several other people, who sustained injuries during the inferno that gutted among shops in the area, had been taken to Kubwa General Hospital.

An eyewitness said: “The fire was not caused by transformer explosion as being speculated but phone. The woman selling the kerosene was using her phone’s torchlight to sell the product when the explosion occured.

“I believe that the explosion was due to the electromagnetic waves of the phone. The explosion threw the kerosene tank from the ground to the roof of the plaza, from where the fire started.

“While some people believed that it was a bomb, other said it was transformer explosion. But, I was there; and I saw it. The incident was caused by phone.

“So many people where burnt including the woman selling the Kerosene; some children were among those burnt beyond recognition. Some shops were burnt down.”

When asked about efforts of fire service, the eyewitness said: “The fire fighters came very late, but boys in the area were able to put the fire under control.”

Another eyewitness, Cecilia Ajegba, said an the explosion was due to an electricity transformer closed to the Kerosene tank.

She said: “The fire was caused by an explosion from an electricity transformer closed to the market. The explosion affected a kerosene tank close by, and this led to the fire outbreak.

“When the explosion happened, the fire spread and ignited some people around the market.

“Police officers did not allow us to go close as they condoned off the place, but those close said about five people were killed.”

The Kubwa Police Area Commander, ACP Mohammed Ndagi Shebe, who confirmed the incident, debunked the rumour that it was a bomb explosion.

“You can see it yourself,” he said as he flashed a torchlight to the kerosene tank which caused the explosion.

According to him, it was kerosene surface tank that exploded, noting that he could not confirm if the kerosene was an adulterated one.

The senior police officer said four dead bodies had so far been evacuated from the scene.

Video Of Kubwa Market Fire:

KanyiDaily had also reported how several people dead, many others injured, houses and vehicles burnt as explosion rock gas plant in Agbor, Delta State.