A gas cylinder explosion at the Plumbing Market along Uga Street, near the Onitsha Bridge Head Market in Anambra State, has claimed two lives and left six others injured.

By Mathins Owoseni

A gas cylinder explosion at the Plumbing Market along Uga Street, near the Onitsha Bridge Head Market in Anambra State, has claimed two lives and left six others injured.

The incident occurred on Friday while a welder was using carbide to work on metal. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as traders and customers fled, with shattered body parts littering the area and shops left abandoned.

Market leader Uzomah Eke confirmed the deaths and said the blast caused extensive damage to goods and property. He noted that good Samaritans helped transport the injured to hospital.

While the State Fire Chief said he was unaware of the incident, Anambra police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the explosion and said police had secured the area.

Ikenga reported that six victims were receiving treatment and one body had been deposited in a morgue. He attributed the explosion to overheating of the gas cylinder during welding.

He added that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has issued safety tips to prevent a recurrence, including proper handling and storage of gas cylinders and regular equipment checks.

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