By Bashir Aliyu
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) has confirmed that the explosion at Karu Bridge, which caused severe gridlock between Kugbo and Nyanya in Abuja on Wednesday evening, was triggered by a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) truck.
Mr. Mark Nyam, Head of the Forecasting, Response, and Mitigation Division of FEMD, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja. The statement, signed by Mrs. Nkechi Isa, Head of Public Affairs for the department, revealed that the incident occurred at approximately 7:14 p.m.
According to Nyam, the accident unfolded when the driver of the CNG truck lost control, colliding with other vehicles and resulting in multiple explosions. The blasts caused significant damage and chaos at the scene.
A harrowing video clip shared by FEMD captured the aftermath of the incident, with an unidentified eyewitness describing the scene as tragic. “Oh! Look at human beings on the ground. This is Karu Bridge; people are burning,” the witness exclaimed before fleeing as another gas canister exploded.
The explosion left many injured and caused widespread panic, with reports suggesting that several individuals were severely burnt. Emergency responders were quickly deployed to the scene to manage the situation and provide assistance to victims.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of transporting compressed natural gas and the need for stricter regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.
