Nnewi gas plant explosion: Only 8 people died

MANAGEMENT of Inter Corp Oil, a subsidiary of Chikason Group of Company, Nnewi, Anambra State, whose factory was involved in the Christmas eve gas ex- plosion which claimed many lives and property worth millions of naira yesterday debunked the number of casualties.

Managing Director of the company, Mr. Linus Ilozue, who briefed newsmen at the company’s headquarters, stated that the casualty figures were grossly exaggerated and insisted that only eight persons died.

He said: “While accepting that there was loss of lives, the company wishes to state that the figures are grossly exaggerated. The recorded

figure of the death as released by the police stands at eight. Investigations are still ongoing to determine the cause of the explosion. Most of the casualties in the fire incident were onlookers,” he said, adding that no staff of the company died in the incident.

Corroborating him but with slight difference in number of casualties, the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers on their part put the number of casualties at nine.

National President of the association, Mr. Basil Ogbuanu said the figure was arrived at after an assessment visit to the gas plant.

He, however, assured that the association’s technical unit had taken up investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the gas explosion.