Panic gripped residents of Hadejia town in Hadejia Local Government Area of Jigawa State on Saturday evening after a massive fire triggered by a gas explosion destroyed a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) retail outlet along Katagum Road, causing property losses estimated to be worth millions of naira.
The incident occurred when a gas delivery truck arrived at the outlet to offload fresh supplies. According to eyewitnesses, an open flame from the preparation of awara (bean cake) reportedly ignited escaping gas during the operation, resulting in a powerful explosion.
The blast was immediately followed by a raging inferno that engulfed the gas shop within minutes, sending terrified residents fleeing for safety as multiple gas cylinders exploded one after another.
“We heard sounds like bomb blasts as the cylinders exploded repeatedly. Thick smoke covered the entire area and everyone ran for their lives,” an eyewitness said.
The explosions attracted hundreds of residents to the scene, with some attempting to salvage goods from neighbouring shops before the fire could spread further.
Security personnel and officials of the Fire Service responded swiftly, cordoning off the area and battling the flames to prevent the inferno from extending to nearby buildings.
Although the LPG outlet was completely destroyed along with a large quantity of gas cylinders and other merchandise, no lives were lost in the incident. Residents attributed the absence of casualties to the prompt evacuation of the area immediately after the first explosion.
Preliminary assessments indicated that more than 10 gas cylinders ruptured during the fire. While the exact value of the destroyed property is yet to be officially determined, eyewitnesses estimated the losses to run into millions of naira.
The incident has renewed concerns over safety standards at gas retail outlets, with residents urging the government and relevant regulatory authorities to enforce stricter safety measures and prohibit activities involving naked flames near LPG facilities to prevent similar disasters.
As of the time of filing this report, the Jigawa State Fire Service had not issued an official statement on the incident.
