At least 16 out of the 18 persons who were injured during a gas explosion that occurred in the Oroazi area of Port Harcourt are undergoing treatment at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH).
The incident occurred Sunday evening at a gas refilling shop, causing significant damage to nearby buildings.
The Rivers State commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday.
Oreh said, “A couple of days ago, we unfortunately experienced a gas explosion in the Oroazi area of the state and there were numerous casualties. In fact, we are currently managing 16 of the patients that arose from that explosion at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.
“They have varying degrees of burns and thankfully, we have highly specialized burns unit at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital that is providing expert advanced level and care for the patients.
“Now, it brings us to the issue of gas explosions; that operation took place in a residential area without adherence to guidelines on how gas cylinders that are commercialized should be operated.
“This is definitely beyond the realm of the Ministry of Health. That emphasizes the fact that we have what we call social determinants of health and we work very closely with other line ministries.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, has declared that no life was lost in the incident.
Speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, Iringe-Koko said, “Yes, I can confirm that the explosion was caused by a welder repairing a refrigerator. The technician was using a gas cylinder to weld while simultaneously trying to refill gas on the refrigerator, which led to the explosion.
“No fewer than 18 persons, including the technician, sustained injuries, but fortunately, no lives were lost.”
The police spokesperson stated that those injured suffered varying degrees of burns and were promptly evacuated to the hospital, where they are receiving treatment.
She also confirmed that the police had launched a full investigation into the incident and would share their findings with the public.
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