A gas explosion at the family’s residence, in Warri, Delta State has claimed the lives of the man, his wife, and daughter.
The incident occurred on May 30, 2025, while they were preparing for their daughter’s birthday and finalizing plans to relocate abroad.
An eye witness, engineer John Perede Akpoyibo, who reported the incident on June 14, said the explosion happened while the father was installing a burner on a small gas cylinder, unaware that another cooker nearby was already in use.
He said Gas leaking from the smaller cylinder is believed to have been ignited by the nearby flame, resulting in a powerful explosion.
The father died shortly after the blast from his injuries. His wife, who had just stepped out of the bathroom at the time of the explosion, suffered severe burns too and was rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where she later died.
Their daughter, who had recently secured a visa and was preparing to travel abroad, also sustained critical burns and passed away on June 14, 2025, at the same hospital.
Akpoyibo spoke on the dangers of using multiple gas cylinders in confined spaces and the lack of essential safety tools such as gas leak detectors and fire extinguishers as key factors in the tragedy.
He advised households to ensure proper ventilation, avoid simultaneous use of multiple cylinders indoors, and always extinguish open flames when handling gas.
He further emphasized the urgent need for community-wide education on gas safety to help prevent future incidents.
