By Abolaji Adebayo and Damilola Kushimo
The Chairman of Isolo LCDA, Hon. Shamsudeen Olaleye, the Federal House of Representatives representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II, Hon. Ganiyu Johnson and the Lagos State House of Assembly member representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II, Hon. Jude Idimogwu have called on the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babjide Sanwo-Olu,to order relocation of all gas shops and depots out of residential areas across the state to forestall gas explosions.
They were reacting to the recent Afariogun incident which claimed about three lives and destroyed properties in Ajao Estate, Isolo on Tuesday.
The explosion, as earlier reported by ECHONEWS, occurred around 6pm at a refill outlet along Mohammed Seriki Street, off Asa Afariogun Street, Ajao Estate.
The shop owner and her daughter and two other people reportedly died in the inferno while about nine shops and cars were destroyed.
While on an impact assessment visit to the scene, the Council Chairman, accompanied by the member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II, Hon. Jude Idimogwu and Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr. Segun Olatunde, expressed his heartfelt condolences to the victims and the families of the dead.
He prayed to God to give their families fortitude to bear the loss while also praying for quick recovery of those who sustained injuries during fatal accident.
The council boss, however, described the incident as unfortunate, calling on authorities to draw up policy that would ensure gas stations are not located within residential areas.
“It was an unfortunate incident that shouldn’t have been. We can’t help it, it has happened. But what we can only do is to put a proactive measures in place to ensure this does not happen again.
“We would start by intimating the authorities at the state and federal levels on the need to look at the policy surrounding refilling of gas within residential areas. They should be centrally located away from residential areas so that when accidents like this happen, it would be minimal to what we have here,” he said.
In his own condolences, the Federal House of Representatives representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II, Hon. Ganiyu Johnson, urged the Lagos State Government to relocate all gas depot in the state out of residential areas in order to avert the future re-occurrence of such incident.
The lawmaker made this appeal when he visited the site of the incident on Thursday, insisting that the government has to urgently take action on gas shops located in the residential areas across the state.
While condoling with the families of the deceased and other victims of the fire incident, Johnson prayed for the repose of their souls as he warned people to be cautious of any act that can lead to such dastardly incident.
He said: “I commiserate with the families of the deceases and victims of the fire incident, may their souls rest in peace.
“I use this opportunity to advise our people to always be cautious of anything that can lead to such incident.
“I also urge the State Government to relocate all gas depot in the State out of residential areas in order to avert the future re-occurrence of this ugly incident.”
Also sympathising with the victims, Idimogu, the Lagos House of Assembly member, called on the relevant authorities and agencies to get to the root of the matter with a view to forestalling future recurrence.