38 victims of gas explosion that occurred during an attempt by a gas attendant to transfer gas from storage tank to the service tank at Edibe-Edible area of Calabar South in Cross River State have been evacuated to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for urgent medical care.
In a statement on Saturday, the spokesman of the Nigeria police Command in Cross River State, Eitokpah Sunday said the victims of Saturday’s morning incident, sustained different degrees of burns, but denied any fatality when the incident occurred.
“During the operation, the hose detached, causing gas fumes to leak into the surrounding area. All attempts to secure the storage tap were unsuccessful, and the attendant had to evacuate immediately”, according to the police.
The leak happened rapidly, leaving insufficient time to warn nearby residents.
The area was engulfed in flames, resulting in significant property damage, the value of which is currently unquantified. Several residents sustained injuries, primarily burns.
“Those with serious burns have been transported to the Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.
“Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported at this time. As at now 38 victims with different degrees of burns has been evacuated to UCTH”, the police spokesman said.
The police spokesman revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Rashid Afegbua, swiftly led tactical teams to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
According to him, “The prompt response of the Command ensured immediate coordination of rescue efforts, effective crowd control, and the safeguarding of lives and property.
“The proactive deployment of personnel and resources helped to prevent further escalation and restored calm in the affected area”, according to the Police Command, which assured of its commitment to rapid response, public safety, and the protection of all residents in the State.
TheNewspad reports that personnel of UCTH fire station, battle to salvage the blaze that wrecked at the facility, which had been condoned-off by the law enforcement agency due to safety concerns.
