By Editor Drealomalicha Emmanuella
A mysterious explosion triggered a major fire at a private filling station in Calabar on Saturday morning, destroying large parts of the facility and leaving several residents injured.
The incident occurred along Edibe Edibe Road, where the blast ignited a fierce inferno that raged for over an hour, consuming key sections of the station, including its fuel and gas storage tanks. Vehicles parked within the premises were also destroyed.
Residents in the area were caught in the chaos, with a number of people sustaining varying degrees of injuries as the fire spread rapidly through the facility.
Witnesses said a large crowd gathered at the scene as the blaze intensified, creating an opportunity for hoodlums to loot items from nearby shops and parts of the damaged station.
The cause of the explosion remains unknown, and authorities have launched an investigation to determine what led to the incident.
An eyewitness, Andy Etim, questioned the approval of a gas facility operating within a densely populated neighbourhood. He also expressed concern over the state’s firefighting capacity, noting that recent fire outbreaks have exposed the lack of functional emergency response equipment.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Eitokpah Sunday Akata, confirmed that officers were deployed to the area to maintain order and prevent further unrest.
He added that efforts were underway to mobilise firefighters, including support from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, to bring the situation under control.
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