Gas explosion kills mother, 4 children in Delta

Gas explosion yesterday killed four people in Okwe community market in Oshimili South local government area of Delta state while others sustained various degree of injuries.
It was learnt that a woman, who had a provision shop at the area closed to a roadside gas filling shop, went to Onitsha market leaving a woman with two kids cooking with stove when the gas attracted fire as a result of leakage.
According to an eyewitness, “at about 4pm, we saw her cooking with stove in front of the shop, though the owner of the shop was not around, before we could know what was happening, a gas cylinder exploded to the extent of flying to a long distance”.
“When fire gutted the shop, two kids with their mother, were inside, so, their mother quickly ran out of the shop crying and moved back to the shop to rescue the two children, but could not make it as the fire was too strong.
In the process, herself and the two children, including two other children who came to buy something, were severely affected by fire”.
It was gathered that her two children died before the arrival of state fire service.
The witness said that “the two kids died on the spot, but the mother and other two kids, who came to buy some things, were rushed to Okwe General Hospital, but were confirmed dead later.
Meanwhile, the owner of the road side gas shop was not around as at the time of the incident, but as eye witness lamented that it could be as a result leakage in the cylinder that attracted the fire from that provision shop.
The deceased have been deposited in the mortuary, while other victims were still battling with life in Okwe general hospital as at the press time Efforts to reach the police image maker in the state, DSP Andrew Aniamaka for confirmation were not successful as several calls put across him were not responding.