No fewer than six people have reportedly dead while several others sustained various degrees of injury on Friday night when there was an inferno at the popular Maitama market in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, Abuja.
SaharaReporters in a visit to the market on Saturday morning learnt that the incident claimed the lives of some children, a pregnant woman and a lady that was about to get married.
It was learnt that the fire began when a kerosene tank exploded in the market.
The fire reportedly lifted the kerosene tank from the floor and dropped it on top of a nearby roof.
According to a source, the fire was caused by children playing with lighter in the kerosene shop which led to the explosion.
“The woman that sells kerosene bought fuel that she wanted to take home for generator purpose,” the source added.
PHOTONEWS: Six Dead As Kerosene Tank Explodes At Kubwa Market In Abuja pic.twitter.com/Rlex44xjg2
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) November 5, 2021
Another source said the content of the kerosene that the woman was selling was mixed with petrol.
It was confirmed that the owner of the shop and her children all died instantly.
“One of residents is still looking for her 17 years old daughter; she was sent on an errand when the fire started,” another witness said.
It was learnt that people with injuries were, however, taken to the Kubwa general hospital.
It was alleged that the general hospital rejected some of the victims by sending them away.
Speaking with SaharaReporters at the hospital, the medical director, Dr. Lasisi Akinola Muyiden, refuted the claims that the hospital rejected patients, noting that they gave the victims emergency resuscitation.
The director, who noted that the police had alerted them of the incident earlier, said his team was ready before the arrival of the victims.
“We have five deaths, actually burnt beyond recognition, they are in our mortuary; a teenage girl, a baby and a male. We also have eleven at our emergency with various degrees of burn,” he added.
