ON INCESSANT GAS EXPLOSIONS

Regulators should be alive to their responsibilities  

It is rather unfortunate that gas has progressively become another source of death and bodily injuries for users and innocent bystanders in Nigeria today. Less than a month after nine persons were killed in Sanbongari, Fagge local government area of Kano in what was believed to be a gas explosion, another one occurred last Friday in the same state. Although there are contentions about the first explosion with claims that it could have been ignited by a suicide bomber, the latest occurred at a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) refiling shop, razing houses when a cylinder exploded and instantly caught fire. At least 20 persons were injured in what is becoming a familiar tragedy. 

While we commiserate with families of the Kano victims, there is an urgent need for a thorough investigation of these incessant explosions so that appropriate lessons can be learnt. But ignorance and greed play a big role in many of these tragic occurrences in a milieu where regulation is weak. For instance, when in 2015 a cylinder exploded at the Plateau State Water Board treatment plant leaving eight people dead, it was discovered that the fatalities were recorded because residents inhaled the poisonous gas which enveloped the entire neighbourhood. There are also cases of illegal gas refilling plants domiciled in highly inflammable areas across the country. 

 Much more need to be done to ensure that those who handle gas always abide by safety procedures. In recent times, fatal explosions had been reported in Plateau, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Jigawa States, killing dozens of people. However, also of increasing concerns are gas explosions of the domestic kind. Incessant domestic gas explosions because of leaking cylinders are on the rise across the country. The relevant authorities need to organise sensitisation programmes to all gas retail outlets on how to operate their business with minimal risk to themselves and the general public.  

Ironically, these explosions occur amid intense campaigns on the need for Nigerians to drop kerosene for gas as a cheaper and cleaner means of cooking. In an incident that is typical of the carelessness often associated with many homes, a female domestic help in Epe, Lagos, turned on the gas and left to chat outside. By the time she returned to light up the burner, the kitchen was suffused with chemical. The resultant fire and explosion consumed her and many neighbours.  

Meanwhile, despite that hundreds of lives have been lost to this problem with businesses and property worth billions destroyed, nothing concrete has come from any of the investigations. That is not the way to handle a problem of this magnitude. To reduce the increasing regularity of gas explosions and the attendant dangers to lives and property, it is important to step up advocacy on the issue. We urge the relevant authorities to conduct regular drills in markets and other public buildings on safety measures regarding the commodity. That is the only way we will not continue to harvest tragic but avoidable deaths.  

Many of the gas retail outlets still do not know how to operate their business with minimal risk. For instance, the former Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) repeatedly urged motorists to desist from using mobile phones while refuelling at filling stations. But many still do it. Other artisans who work with gas and petrol also do so. Yet, answering calls besides any explosive material is dangerous which is why people are usually advised to switch off their phone at the gas station. But because many disobey this simple rule and many others, we keep harvesting deaths resulting from gas explosions.