Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), has said that additional three dead bodies were retrieved in the Abule Ado area of Lagos after the explosion that rocked the area Sunday morning.
Oke-Osanyintolu made this known in an interview with the News Agency of of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday after a recuse operation on Monday.
According to him, search and rescue activities are ongoing, the response teams recovered three bodies from the scene on Monday, bringing the total fatalities to 20 and additional 32 casualties.
“57 people were rescued; 47 of whom have been discharged while 10 are still receiving treatment for minor and major injuries. The incident scene remains active; Julius Berger and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) have joined efforts in the rescue process while the fire has been extinguished finally on Monday”.
“Damaged pipelines are being repaired by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) teams. We urge residents to be calm, keep away from the scene and to refrain from sharing “fake news” to the public.
“A help desk has been set up in the area for people trying to trace anyone missing or those in need of temporary shelter at the LASEMA relief camp Igando”.
“Enumeration of damage to property, assets and vehicles is ongoing as at Tuesday in Abule-Ado area of Lagos,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He further explained that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-olu, has constituted a committee to supervise all efforts in the area co-chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr Kadiri Hamzat and the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Bamgbose-Martins.
Oke-Osanyintolu, however, appealed for calm once again and urged Lagos residents especially people in Abule-Ado to cooperate with emergency responders to enable them complete the recuse exercise as soon as possible. (NAN)