By Matthew Don
Pandemonium reigned briefly at the upscale Four Points by Sheraton Hotels, Oniru, Lagos as explosion rocked the place on Wednesday.
The bang attracted the presence of anti-bomb policemen from the area and heightened the fear that it was a bomb explosion planted at the hotel premises.
While three persons were left with bad injuries, several cars belonging to customers and lodgers were damaged. Some of the hotel’s rooms were destroyed by the explosion.
A gas cylinder was believed to have exploded, causing the disruption of operations temporarily and leaving everyone in fear.
It was learnt that the explosion was caused by a leaking pipe of a gas cylinder used by welders working in the hotel premises. They were said to be working on a damaged borehole.
Spokesman of the Lagos State Emergency Management (LASEMA), Nosa Okunbor, said those injured were taken to hospital for treatment.
Okunbor narrated: “On getting to the scene of the incident, a gas cylinder was said to have exploded within the vicinity of the hotel. Further investigations revealed that the gas cylinder used by welders working in the yard of the hotel premises exploded due to a leakage of one of the gas cylinder hose.
“A total of three people sustained severe injuries as a result of the blast and two has been rushed to Lagos Island General hospital for intensive care by LASEMA ambulance unit while one was rushed to a nearby private hospital.”
Though Okunbor said operation resumed at the hotel shortly, many of the lodgers still expressed fear when Armadanews.com spoke with them. “Anything could have happened. One could have been badly hurt. We need to take our security seriously,” one person who gave her name simply as Tinu told us.
“Several cars and hotel room windows were shattered as a result of items flying objects due to the blast. The situation is under control as a combined effort of the LASEMA response unit, Nigeria. Police alongside staff of the hotel are on ground to ensure a swift recovery. Recovery operation ongoing,” Okunbor noted.