Panic In Kaduna Following Huge Explosion, 16 Shops Razed Down

Panic In Kaduna Following Huge Explosion, 16 Shops Razed Down

There was panic in Kaduna yesterday when residents mistook a gas explosion that occurred around 12 noon for a detonated bomb, causing people to take to their heels.

It was later gathered that the cause was a gas cylinder in a shop located beside the Police Barracks in Kawo, Kaduna.

Among the affected shops is a cybercafé, distributors of building materials, a hair dressing salon, an ice block maker, a barbing salon, among others.

Owners of the corner-shops beside the Police Barracks where the explosion occurred were thrown into confusion when the explosion occurred in one of the shops, causing the fire which razed all 16 shops on the block.

One of the shop-owners called on the Kaduna State government to come to their aid. "I have lost millions of naira," he said. "I'm a graduate of Business and Entrepreneurship from the National Open University, so after graduating I decided to go into ice block business to make ends meet. I had about 15 refrigerators in my shop before the fire, but now only two are left."

The shop-owner also lamented the slow response of the Fire Service. "If they had come earlier, they could have salvaged the situation. They arrived when the fire had gone out of hand," he said.

Other shop-owners were also unhappy at the Fire Service's response. A building materials supplier got into a fight with the firemen as a result, as they sprayed water on his materials which were outside the shop.

The North-West Zonal Coordinating Officer of the Federal Fire Service, Obisesan B. Olatunde confirmed that no life was lost, adding that the fire started at shop 45.

"The owner of the shop was trying to refill a gas cylinder from another, when the explosion occurred. We are yet to get the man, because he absconded immediately after the explosion apparently for fear of being lynched by the affected shop-owners," he said.

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