The Anambra State Police have confirmed that a gas explosion at the Plumbing Market on Uga Street has left one person dead and six others injured.
The incident reportedly occurred on Friday while a welder was using carbide on a piece of metal, leading to a sudden blast that sent traders and residents running for safety.
Police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Saturday, revealed that the victims who sustained injuries were rushed to a hospital for treatment. The body of the deceased has been deposited at a morgue.
Ikenga added that police operatives were immediately deployed to the site of the explosion to prevent any potential looting or criminal activity following the chaos.
“To this end, the Police Operatives have taken steps to secure the area and prevent criminal-minded persons from taking advantage of the situation to commit crimes,” he stated.
A preliminary police investigation attributes the explosion to excessive heat exposure from a gas cylinder, causing it to detonate.