Explosion kills three, injures 10 in Ondo Nigeria

 

An explosion at a facility of the Ondo State Water Corporation in Araromi Obu, Odigbo Local Government Area has left three persons dead and 10 others injured.

Those killed in the explosion that occurred at 11.30pm on Tuesday included a boy and his grandmother.

The victims were said to have died of contamination arising from the chemicals they inhaled from one of the cylinders of the corporation that exploded on Tuesday night.

Residents of the area, many of whom were already asleep when the incident occurred, were scared out of their houses by the sound of the burst. Some others made their way to the premises of the water corporation only to inhale the poisonous fumes from the burst cynliders.

The gas was said to have caused itching on their faces and made them fall to the ground.

One of the victims, identified as Olatayo Adejayan,  was rushed to the Comprehensive Health Centre in the town, where he died.

A seven-year-old boy, identified simply as Isaac, and  his grandmother died before they could get to the Okitipupa General Hospital in Okitipupa.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, who confirmed the incident, said health officers, including doctors and nurses, had been dispatched to the town to give medical assistance to the people.

When officials of the water corporation got to the premises in the morning, it was discovered that it was one of the cylinders containing some chemicals being used for purification of water that exploded, while its content inflicted health hazard on the people.

The 10 people that had health challenges in the morning were said to have been rushed to the hospital in Okitipupa, where they were being treated.

The people of the community had taken refuge in neighbouring communities to escape further poisoning by the gas.