A day after a gas explosion wreaked havoc in Ita-Oshin, Abeokuta North Local Government Area, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State wasted no time in ordering the evacuation of residents from certain buildings that sustained damage during the incident.
During an on-site evaluation of the destruction inflicted upon properties and commercial establishments in the vicinity, the governor asserted that the evacuation would facilitate comprehensive integrity assessments on the impacted buildings.
Extending a compassionate hand, Governor Abiodun pledged that the state would bear the medical expenses of those afflicted by the incidents, while also assuring financial compensation for proprietors whose properties suffered damage.
Piecing together the harrowing details, Africa Today News, New York, has learned that the gas tanker explosion on the Abeokuta-Sango-Lagos Expressway exacted a heavy toll, claiming at least one life, leaving six others nursing wounds, and reducing six vehicles to charred shells.
Providing an official account, Florence Okpe, the voice of the Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, validated the distressing occurrence on Sunday, stating that the gas truck experienced an unforeseeable brake failure, leading to a loss of control that culminated in a collision with the roadside curb.
Okpe said, “The crash occurred at about 1610 hrs, involving a tanker laden with gas. The number of people involved was six and all male adults; two got injured but unfortunately, one person died from the fire incident, which is the motor boy who was trapped.”
Speaking at the scene of the incident on Sunday, Governor Abiodun questioned the safety of trucks carrying Compressed Natural Gas across the country.
He said: “As a responsible state government, our emergency management team has taken stock of all those businesses, and residences that have been affected by this unfortunate incident.
“What has happened yesterday throws up a lot of questions, far-ranging questions. The issues around safety, regulation, roadworthiness of the modes of transportation, and issues around the required regulatory oversight for the entire industry must be looked into.
“Are these issues happening at the same speed as the industry is progressing? This would allow us to better understand and answer those questions.
“I have directed that one or two buildings be evacuated until our regulatory agency that is in charge does the required integrity test on those buildings, to ensure that they are safe for our people to continue to live in there.
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“All those affected will be compensated; all those who are in the hospital, we will take over their treatment.”
He further disclosed that the state government has arranged for a strategic meeting with the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association, slated for Monday at his office premises, where the focal point of discussions will be to scrutinize and strengthen the safety protocols for tankers operating on the state’s roads.
Addressing the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Governor Abiodun underscored the necessity for the entity to remain vigilant and proactive in keeping pace with the industry’s rapid evolution, asserting that it should, with utmost urgency, verify that the CNG tanks utilized by trucks meet the highest safety benchmarks mandated by regulatory guidelines.
Gasco Marine, the gas company whose truck was at the center of the explosive incident, has taken responsibility and assured the public that it will undertake a rigorous and exhaustive investigation to uncover the reasons behind the catastrophic event.
In its statement on Sunday, Gasco Marine said, “We are saddened by this unfortunate event. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family of the deceased, and the affected individuals whose properties were affected. We are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time.
“At Gasco Marine, the safety and well-being of employees and the communities we operate in are of utmost priority.
“We also take this opportunity to assure our stakeholders that we strictly adhere to all safety standards. We remain committed to continuously strengthening our health and safety policies to prevent such unfortunate incidents from occurring in the future.”
Gasco Marine expressed its sincere appreciation for the swift and coordinated response of emergency teams, including officers from the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Control Agency, Nigerian Police Force, and representatives from the Ogun State government, whose timely presence on-site proved invaluable in mitigating the situation.
“We at Gasco Marine have also activated our emergency response protocols and are cooperating fully with relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
“We will continue to update all stakeholders as the investigation progresses. Our focus remains on supporting the affected families and ensuring the highest levels of safety across our operations,” the statement added.