An explosion rocked the Plumbing Market along Uga Street in Anambra State on Friday, leaving one person dead and six others injured, according to the state police command.
Witnesses reported that the blast occurred during welding work involving carbide, causing widespread panic among residents and traders who fled for safety.
Anambra Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the tragic event on Saturday. He disclosed that the injured victims were promptly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the body of the deceased was moved to a mortuary.
Ikenga further stated that law enforcement officers had been dispatched to the area to maintain order and guard against possible looting in the aftermath of the explosion.
“To this end, the Police Operatives have taken steps to secure the area and prevent criminal-minded persons from taking advantage of the situation to commit crimes,” he said.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police, suggest that the blast was triggered by excessive heat exposure to a gas cylinder.