Lagos Explosion: Death Toll Hits 21

L-R: Chairman, Amuwo Odofin LG, Mr. Valentine Buraimoh; Commissioner of Police, Lagos Command, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu; Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-governmental Relations, Engr. Tayo Bamgbose-Martins; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso and his counterpart for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, during the Governor’s visit to the scene of Abule Ado fire explosion on Monday, March 16, 2020.

Rescue team on Thursday, March 19, recovered one more body, a male, from the rubble of the explosion site at Ado Soba, in Abule Ado, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State which occurred last Sunday.

Earlier, the team had recovered a total of 20 bodies, including males and females making the total number of deaths recorded so far to 21, with the latest recovery.

Recall that aftermath of the sad occurrence, a number of people were declared missing up to date in the yet to be determined the real cause of the blast which shook the state in the early hours of the fateful day with an unprecedented level of devastation.

The state Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while conducting an on -the -spot assessment of the situation on Monday, announced the setting up of a N2 billion Relief Fund for the victims. He also announced N250 million donation by the Lagos State Government as the capital base for the take-off of the fund.

On the first day of occurrence, 17 bodies were recovered, while three more were recovered on Monday and one more recovered on Thursday, at press time.

The Director-General of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the latest recovered casualty, which had been taken to the mortuary by the officials of Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS.

Other rescue teams, includes National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, both Federal and State Fire Services, Nigerian Police, the military, the Red Cross, Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps, LNSC, Special Taskforce, among others.

It was gathered that over 100 out of about 500 displaced people are currently being accommodated at the state’s Emergency Relief Camp, Igando, Ikotun-Igando Local Council Development Area, LCDA.

Meanwhile, the state government officials have commenced verification exercise of victims and affected properties for compensation purposes.

The exercise which began at exactly 12 noon on Thursday, had over N300 victims jostling to be verified by officials of LASEMA.

After collating the details of affected residents, officials of LASEMA visited and took photographs of each building affected by the explosion to determine the extent of damage as well as those due for removal.