A gas cylinder explosion at the plumbing market along Uga Street, near Onitsha Bridge Head Market in Anambra State, has left one person dead and six others injured.
The incident occurred on Friday, May 16, while a welder was working on a metal with carbide, causing the gas cylinder to explode due to excessive heat.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Saturday, May 17, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that the blast was triggered by excessive heat applied to the gas cylinder.
He stated that police officers from the Onitsha Head Bridge Divisional Headquarters, assisted by community members, quickly responded to the scene and rescued six victims who were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
“Police Operatives attached to the Onitsha Head Bridge Divisional Police Headquarters on the 16th of May 2025 complemented the rescue efforts by good-spirited individuals on the six victims of a gas cylinder explosion at a plumbing market, along Uga Street, which regrettably recorded one death.
“Preliminary information revealed that the welding gas cylinder exploded as the welder was working on a metal due to exposure to excess heat,” the statement added.
According to him, the deceased has been deposited in a morgue.
The police further stated that their operatives have taken steps to secure the area and prevent criminal-minded persons from taking advantage of the situation to commit crimes.
“To this end, the Police Operatives have taken steps to secure the area and prevent criminal-minded persons from taking advantage of the situation to commit crimes,” the statement added.
The statement added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikioye Orutugu, is concerned about the unfortunate incident and has provided some safety tips to prevent such from reoccurring.
This tragedy adds to a series of recent related incidents in Nigeria.
The ICIR reported on Wednesday, March 19, that an explosion from a tanker crash rocked the Abuja-Keffi expressway near Karu Bridge. The incident occurred during rush hour as commuters returned from work along the ever-busy highway.
In January 2025, a fuel tanker explosion near Suleja, Niger State, claimed over 80 lives and injured many others.
The explosion occurred when locals attempted to collect spilled fuel from an overturned tanker, which ignited upon contact with a generator.
Earlier in October 2024, a similar incident occurred in Majiya, Jigawa State. A fuel tanker overturned, and as residents rushed to fetch the spilling fuel—a practice driven by economic desperation—the tanker exploded, resulting in over 150 deaths. Many victims were burned beyond recognition, while about 100 others were injured. The victims were buried together in a mass funeral organised by the authorities.
In September of the same year, another 59 people were killed in Niger State after a fuel tanker collided with a truck carrying passengers and cattle.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M