- Title: NIGERIA: Explosion rips through fireworks warehouse in Lagos
- Date: 26th December 2012
- Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (DECEMBER 26, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BLAST SITE AND DESTROYED BUILDINGS STREET PACKED WITH PEOPLE VARIOUS OF DESTROYED BUILDING / FIRE BURNING INSIDE / SMOKE BILLOWING VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS HOSING BURNING BUILDINGS AMID THICK SMOKE (SOUNDBITE) (English) INFORMATION OFFICER, NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (NEMA), IBRAHIM FARINLOYE, SAYING: "The problem we're having, you can see as well that these buildings are stored with explosives and we are hearing the sporadic shots in all these buildings so, that is the challenge we are having. It is very dangerous for our men as well to go in, because the governor would not want any of his men to be injured. So we are still on ground fighting the fire, and we are preventing it from escalating to other buildings." FIREFIGHTERS HOSING WATER INTO BUILDING / SMOKE BILLOWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) GENERAL MANAGER OF LAGOS STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (LASEMA), OLUWAFEMI DAMILOLA, SAYING: "These culprits stored a lot of fireworks like this and because the conditions was not that favourable, it exploded, and that is why we are experiencing something like this. But however we are on top of all our challenges, we are on the ground." CROWDS GATHERING AROUND AMBULANCE SIGN ON AMBULANCE READING: "LAGOS STATE AMBULANCE SERVICE" SECURITY OPERATIVES AND EMERGENCY WORKERS CONSOLING AN INJURED VICTIM VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTER SPRAYING WATER INTO BURNING BUILDING / SOUND OF FIREWORKS EXPLODING TRADERS GATHERING OUTSIDE DESTROYED BUILDINGS / MAN CARRYING BOX OF GOODS WALKING PAST
- Embargoed: 10th January 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVAYZXI9ZELDBZ07A3F93M0UJS0
- Story Text: Residents in Nigeria's commercial city Lagos were caught by surprise when a fireworks explosion ripped through several buildings, killing a young boy and injuring many.
The explosion at a fireworks warehouse caused a raging fire that lasted for hours, destroying at least six buildings filled with properties and goods worth millions of naira.
The popular Idumota market, known as the country's largest market, houses commodities sold to Nigerians all over the country.
Fireworks continued to explode as firefighters battled the fire, trying to prevent it from spreading to other buildings.
Ibrahim Farinloye, information officer for the National Emergency Management Agency, said the authorities hesitating to send the firefighters into the buildings to put out the fire.
"The problem we're having, you can see as well that these buildings are stored with explosives and we are hearing the sporadic shots in all these buildings so, that is the challenge we are having. It is very dangerous for our men as well to go in, because the governor would not want any of his men to be injured. So we are still on ground fighting the fire, and we are preventing it from escalating to other buildings," said Farinloye.
Thousands of residents gathered to watch as the fire raged on and others fled the scene to safety.
"These culprits stored a lot of fireworks like this and because the conditions was not that favourable, it exploded, and that is why we are experiencing something like this. But however we are on top of all our challenges, we are on the ground," explained Oluwafemi Damilola, General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.
Shop owners said they were caught off-guard by the explosion and escaped before the buildings were destroyed. Some of them returned to the blast site trying to salvage whatever goods they could.
The Nigerian police had recently banned the use of some types of fireworks in Lagos during the Christmas and New Year celebrations. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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