The death toll in the gas explosion at Sabon Gari area of Kano State on Tuesday has risen to nine.
The blast which occurred at a building located at No. 01, Aba/Court Road, opposite Winners Kids Academy, affected some buildings and left several people injured, including school children.
The National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) in a statement said nine corpses were recovered from the scene of the explosion.
NEMA’s spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel, said the Director-General, Mustapha Habib, who visited the scene of the explosion, coordinated the rescue operations.
“Nine dead bodies have been recovered so far from the rubbles of a collapsed building beside a primary school following explosions from a gas cylinder at Aba Road in Sabon Gari area of Kano. Director-General National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, was at the site of the incident and coordinated the rescue operations,” the statement read.
“He mobilised excavators being used for the rescue operations and said NEMA team will ensure complete removal of the rubbles to retrieve all trapped persons.
“Furthermore, the DG instructed the NEMA rescue team to remain at the site until the conclusion of the rescue and to work together with security agencies and other response organisations present at the location.
“NEMA is presently coordinating the rescue operations involving members, Nigerian Red Cross, military, the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Kano SEMA.”
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Samaila Dikko, had earlier confirmed that it was a gas explosion and not a bomb as widely reported on social media.
A statement issued by the spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said “preliminary Forensic Analysis revealed a suspected Gas Cylinder Explosion with the recovery of chemicals”
“Scene of the suspected explosion that led to a building collapse was cordoned up and four victims (3 Males and 1 Female) including a Wielder, named Mr. Ejike Vincent were removed and rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano, where a Medical Doctor certified them dead,” the PPRO added.
Meanwhile, the Kano State Government in a statement clarified that the explosion did not occur in schools.
The state commissioner for information, Malam Muhammad Garba said the incident happened at an animal feed store opposite the school along Aba Road, Sabon Gari area of Fagge local government.
He said while the cause of the explosion and the damage it had done was yet to be officially ascertained, an investigation had commenced to determine the cause, impact and measures to be taken.
Malam Garba called on the people in the state, particularly those living in the area where the incident occurred to remain calm while the government in collaboration with relevant agencies worked on the matter.
The commissioner assured that government would keep the public abreast of developments and warned people to desist from spreading unsubstantiated news.
