Obiano Visits Victims of Petrol Explosion in Onitsha, Alleys Fears of Residents

The Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, today, visited the
casualties of a petrol fire explosion that occurred on Atani Road in
the outskirts of Onitsha, the largest commercial city in South East
Nigeria, last night.

The governor who arrived Toronto Hospital, Onitsha where thirteen
people who sustained various degrees of burns in the explosion which
was erroneously speculated to be a bomb with his aides was quick to
allay the fears of the residents on the incident and assure them that
the state was safe.

He regretted that because of the prevailing scarcity of petrol,
Nigerians had resorted to storing fuel in jerry cans in residential
areas thereby exposing themselves to extreme danger and warned the
people to desist from the habit of storing petrol in their homes as
the consequences were often dire.

He advised Ndi Anambra to demonstrate greater safety consciousness by
keeping all inflammable items away from their homes to avoid
unpleasant occurrences. The Governor also undertook to offset the
medical bills of the casualties.

Also speaking at the hospital, Dr. Madu Nwankwo, a resident physician
with Toronto Hospital explained that the victims who were rushed to
the hospital at midnight on Tuesday sustained mostly superficial burns
and assured that the casualties were all in a stable condition.

Three casualties, two females aged 30 and 17 and a 25 year-old male
were seen receiving attention at the hospital. The explosion was
reported to have occurred in a settlement known as Kara Market which
is located along the Iyiowa axis of Atani Road.