A gas explosion on Sunday afternoon in Ijora Badia, Apapa Iganmu Local Council Development Area, Lagos State, injured at least 15 people.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, the incident occurred about 4:10 p.m. and involved a 25kg petrol cylinder in a little shop with five similar cylinders.
The shop where the fire was claimed to have started was in a bungalow with 15 self-contained rooms and seven other shops.
According to Adeseye, the fire was started by a gas leak caused by improper handling, which was then ignited by a nearby flame, resulting in a violent explosion.
“It was a case of poor handling of gas products, which unfortunately allowed gas to escape and come in contact with a flame. This triggered the explosion,” Adeseye stated.
“The resulting fire was swiftly extinguished, and the remains of the gas cylinders were safely evacuated. The danger was completely averted, and normalcy has since returned to the area,” Adeseye added.
She stated that the 15 individuals suffered burn injuries while confirming that no lives were lost and none of the injuries were life-threatening.
She further stated that several people received first aid on the scene, while others were taken to nearby hospitals for additional treatment.
According to Adeseye, the fire was put out by the joint efforts of firefighters from the Sari Iganmu Fire Station and officials from LASEMA, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and LASAMBUS, the state’s emergency medical service.
A similar gas explosion on the Otedola Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in March 2025 killed five persons.
