Apapa, Lagos state – A Lagos-based fashion designer, Nofisat Jamiu, has shared the devastating story of how a gas explosion claimed the lives of four members of her family.
She narrated that the tragic incident happened at a retail shop in the Apapa area of Lagos.
Among the victims were her one-year-and-three-month-old daughter, her mother, sister, and father, who had only stopped by his wife’s shop minutes before the tragic incident.
Speaking with tears in her eyes, the 27-year-old mother of two recounted the fateful day when the explosion upended her life and left her in “perpetual grief.”
Explosion Caused by Faulty Gas Cylinder
The tragic incident occurred at the gas retail shop owned by Jamiu’s mother, Medinat Jimoh.
Jamiu explained that her mother, who had only been in the gas retail business for six months, was just starting to make a living from the business when the explosion happened.
Prior to this, Medinat had worked as a laundress and sold small items to make ends meet.
Jamiu, who has been the primary caregiver for her surviving family members, said,
“My mother started selling gas about six months ago. It wasn’t even her business. She worked for someone and only got paid at the end of the month.”
She continued,
“Before then, she was doing laundry from house to house and selling small items just to make ends meet. My father was an artist, but he suffered a stroke in 2023, and since then, life has been very hard for us. My mother became the breadwinner and was struggling to keep us going.”
The Tragic Incident Unfolds
Jamiu described how the day began like any other. Her father, Tajudeen Jamiu, visited his wife at the shop, as he often did. Her daughter, Hazimat, also wandered into the shop to play, while her sister, a hairdresser, rested inside, waiting for a client.
“My brother, who survived, told me that one of the cylinders fell and split open near its base. The 50kg cylinder was too old and rusty, which made it unstable.
“Immediately it fell, it began to leak. My mother tried to stop the leakage with her hands before figuring out what else to do. Unfortunately, the gas exploded minutes later. Everything happened so fast, and the whole place was engulfed in flames,” she said.
Rushed to Hospitals, but Fate Took Its Course
Following the explosion, the victims were rushed to Bola Ahmed Tinubu General Hospital in Apapa for first aid. Due to the severity of their burns, they were quickly referred to the Burn and Trauma Centre at Gbagada General Hospital. Jamiu’s mother, father, sister, and daughter were all in critical condition.
“While my parents were admitted to Gbagada, my daughter and sister were referred to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, due to a lack of bed space,” Jamiu explained.
Tragically, despite the doctors’ best efforts, her parents, sister, and young daughter passed away within five days of admission. Jamiu’s younger brother, Teslim, was the only survivor of the explosion.
Struggling with Loss and Responsibility
Now, as the eldest in a family of five, Jamiu is left to care for her surviving siblings while mourning the loss of her loved ones.
She explained the emotional and financial strain she is enduring, especially as she has no steady job.
“The pain is unbearable. It has stolen my joy and left me in pieces. My daughter was only one year and three months old. I still can’t believe she is gone,” Jamiu lamented.
She further shared that her husband has warned her never to return to the gas business due to the tragic death of her mother.
“I still sell gas at another location for the same woman my mother worked for, and some of the cylinders we use are quite old and rusted,” Jamiu said.
Call for Help from the Government and Nigerians
In the face of her heavy burden, Jamiu is calling on the Lagos State Government, corporate organisations, and well-meaning Nigerians to come to her aid.
“I want the government and good-spirited Nigerians to please help me. My sibling is still young. I don’t have a job, and I’m left with this heavy burden. I don’t know where to start,” she pleaded.