AROUND 9 am on Sunday, scores of people were reported to be running for dear life in Abule Ado area of Festac, Lagos, after a pipeline explosion destroyed buildings and properties, and leaving many injured.

It was gathered that several houses including churches were touched and a boarding school, Bethlehem Girls College, located in the area, was also affected.

Several footages of the incident have been shared across social media.

In some of the video clips, now making rounds on Twitter, students from Bethlehem Girls College can be seen being rescued by Good Samaritans through the school’s fence and some were soaked in blood.

It is yet to be determined if any lives were lost.

The ICIR contacted the school through a phone number published on their website but the number has been switched off.

The cause of the inferno is still yet to be ascertained.

While speaking to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), acting Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, said the cause of the explosion is being investigated but assured that it was not connected to pipeline vandalism.

“From the information given by officials of the Lagos State Fire Service, who are currently on the ground, the implosion is not connected to pipeline but might have occurred in a factory located in the Abule Ado area.

“Emergency responders are on the ground while others are still on their way to the scene. The situation is under control and we hope to get more information soon to ascertain its cause,” he said.

An eyewitness told CHANNELS TV that a truck offloading sand caught fire, which spread to a nearby pipeline, triggerring the blast.