The death toll of Monday’s gas explosion in Ajegunle area of Lagos rose to three yesterday, following the death of two siblings. Father of the children, Charles Obianagor, 55, was burnt beyond recognition, while his wife, four children, sister in-law and six neighbours were rushed to the hospital.
Vanguard gathered that his two children, a male and a female, aged 12 and nine, respectively, died at about 10p.m. same day, in a hospital at Gbagada, where they were rushed to.
Yesterday, his wife, Mabel, and his two children, Issac and Amaka, were still at the intensive care units in separate hospitals at Tolu and Gbagada areas of the state, with doctors battling to save their lives.
‘My father ignored my warning’
One of the survivors, Isaac, whose legs, hands, part of his back and face were severely burnt, blamed his late father for the tragedy, unaware that the father was dead.
Narrating how the incident occurred, 16-year-old Isaac, who just concluded his secondary school education from Bola Ige Millennium Secondary School, Tolu, stated that his family was advised to change their burner owing to a technical fault.
He said he bought the burner and also refilled the gas cylinder, Monday, and was on the verge of fixing it when his father opted to assist him.
According to him: “My father brought the cylinder to the sitting room and opened it, with the intention of tightening the lock. I told him not to open it that it was dangerous but he ignored the advice, saying nothing would happen.
“I do not know what he pressed, but the next thing I heard was a deafening sound and the smell of gas everywhere. As I rushed to tighten the cylinder head, the impact of the fire flung me away.
“This was because the stove was lit and there was pepper soup and rice, which my mother was going to sell later that day.
‘I couldn’t breathe’
“At this point, my whole body was on fire. I managed to rush to where we keep our clothes with the intention of using the clothes to put out the fire on my body, but I was still burning.
“At that time, I could not breathe again. I managed to open the burglary proof and went out before people started pouring water on me. I did not know how others escaped.”
At this point, he asked if his parents and siblings’ condition were as serious as his, unknown to him that his father and two siblings were dead.
When Vanguard arrived the scene of the incident located at 7, Amore Street, it was observed that only the Obianagor’s apartment was affected.
‘We broke through walls to rescue them’
A resident, who simply gave his name as Mukaila, explained that nobody could gain access into the affected apartment because of the burglary proof mounted on the balcony and entrance of the apartment.
Mukaila said: “When the incident occurred, we heard their desperate shout for help. But nobody could go inside because of the burglary proof. We tried to break it, but could not because it was locked from inside.
“Another cause for their inability to escape was because there was only one escape route which was through the kitchen, which was engulfed by fire.
“We had to break the wall by the balcony, from where the wife, four children and the wife’s niece, who came on holiday, were brought out.
“We were made to understand that they were using coal pot before but that other tenants kicked against it because of the smoke it generated.”
Hospitals rejected victims
It was also gathered that two hospitals within the vicinity, where Mrs Obianagor and her four children were rushed, rejected them.
Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “They were rushed to Tolu Medical Centre, where only Isaac was admitted, as the hospital said they could not admit the rest owing to the magnitude of burns.
“From there we rushed them to Femi and Zolingar hospitals, where they were also rejected and referred to Gbadaga General Hospital.”
Vanguard gathered that the charred remains of Charles Obianagor was also rejected at the morgue.
Members of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, where late Charles worshipped, reportedly brought an ambulance, which conveyed the deceased to his home town in Anambra, Monday.
He was said to have been buried yesterday.
Vanguard