Lagos explosion: Death toll hits two
The death toll from the explosion at a CCTV dealer’s shop on Kodesho Street, near Computer Village in the Ikeja area of Lagos State, has risen to two.
Five people had been confirmed injured in the blast that occurred on Friday around 6:35 pm.
PUNCH Metro had earlier reported that one of the victims died on Saturday evening at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, while the remaining four were in critical condition.
A dealer in Computer Village, who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday under the condition of anonymity, had disclosed said the victim passed away after frantic efforts by doctors to save his life.
Providing an update in a chat with our correspondent on Monday, the dealer said another victim died on Monday morning.
He said, “We lost another victim this morning. You will recall I told you others were in critical condition after one of them died on Saturday and this is due to the severity of the injuries they sustained in the blast. We are trusting God to preserve the lives of others as doctors are working to make sure they survive.”
The dealer added that some of the victims were customers who were in the shop to purchase some products.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the new casualty.
“Another victim of the blast died this morning. Others are still being taken care of at LASUTH.”
In a statement issued by Hundeyin on Saturday, it was noted that the scene was immediately cordoned off by operatives of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, the Mobile Police Detachment, and other police teams to ensure public safety.
“The scene was swept by the EOD experts of the command to ensure the safety of residents and facilitate a comprehensive investigation to determine the actual cause of the explosion,” Hundeyin stated.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh, was also said to have visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment shortly after the incident.
Hundeyin said then that the five individuals injured during the explosion were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for treatment.
The incident occurred barely a week after a yet-to-be-identified welder was killed after a military-grade grenade exploded at Idi-Araba in the Mushin area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro reported that three other persons were injured in the incident, which occurred on Thursday.
It was gathered that some scavengers in a metal scrap yard engaged the deceased welder while attempting to dismantle one of the grenades in their possession.
The device, however, denoted in the process, killing the welder on the spot while three others sustained severe injuries.
It was gathered that the explosion resulted in panic in the area, while it also rendered some residents homeless after affecting their homes.
