Mutilated bodies of three more victims from the gas explosion which occurred on 4th January, 2020 in Kaduna have been discovered by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) during a clearance operation.
The North West Zonal Controller, DPR, Isa Tafida made the disclosure during a condolence visit to the family of the Chairman of Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, late Professor Simon Mallam and a victim of the explosion at the St. Gerald Hospital on Friday.
He said, “The department collaborated with security agencies and other government agencies to evacuate the cylinders in the shop where the gas explosion occurred to safety and in the processes, mutilated bodies of three other victims were discovered under the debris.”
According to him, “This particular operator who brought the calamity upon the victims was operating at the premises illegally. From the information we received, he relocated from another location because of our campaign against illegally, unfortunately, nobody alerted us.”
He assured that the department is working with other security agencies and the agencies of the Kaduna state government to comb the nooks and crannies of the state and all the states of the federation to check illegality.
While expressing the condolence of the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva and the Director, DPR, Auwalu Sarki to the family, he assured that government is taking enough measure to forestall the re-occurrence of such disaster which has to do with illegality.
He said the department is also engaged in public sensitization on safe handling of gas adding, “This particular incident did not have to do with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) but industrial gas also known as Acetylene which is used for welding and in some industries.
He assured that security agencies are doing everything possible to track down the owner of the gas shop who is at large.