At least 20 persons, including a pregnant woman and four children have been critically injured by a gas explosion that occured in the Orazi axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon close to densely populated area in Orazi called ‘Big Tree’.
It was learnt that amany of them suffered severe burns and were rushed to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt
The victims were said to have included residents and some passers-by as the sound of the explosion shattered the area, causing pandemonium.
The explosion was said to have occurred at a gas refilling shop when a technician was reportedly fixing a faulty cylinder.
It was learnt that immediately the cylinder exploded, it affected other cylinders in the shop causing multiple explosions.
The fire affected some surrounding buildings forcing most of the occupants to flee for their lives.
A relative of one of the victims who spoke in anonymity said the owner of the shop had been selling gas for years in the area.
He said his in-law and her husband who were affected in the explosion were rushed to the hospital for treatment, lamenting that they had spent over N500, 000 already.
He said: “I was just called in the evening about the incident because my sister in-law and the husband are involved. When my wife picked the call her countenance changed immediately.
“So I asked what happened. She said it was a gas explosion and that her sister is at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. I lost my appetite and immediately drove to the hospital. I know how Orazi is. there are many shops scattered all over just for people to survive.”