Gas explosion injures 20, razes shops in Kano

The explosion reportedly went off around 8pm on Thursday at a gas cylinder refilling shop.

A resident of the area, Malam Idi, said the gas exploded and went up in flames, burning several people and shops.

He said the incident affected mostly persons in the gas shop and other business owners in the adjacent shops.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Yusif, put the figure of victims at 20.

He said the victims had been taken to a hospital by the firemen deployed to the scene, adding that the cause of the incident was as a result of a man frying and selling fish near the gas shop.

He said, “We received an emergency call at about 7:04pm, from Adamu Muhd who reported an outbreak of fire at Sheka Karshen Kwalta, Kumbotso Local Government Area.

“Upon arriving the scene of the incident, we found a building of ground floor of about 40 by 40 feet used as a dwelling place and shops engulfed by fire. The cause of the incident was a fish seller near the gas shop.

“Twenty people were involved and they were rescued and taken to the hospital.”