A major explosion occurred on Saturday at a private petrol and gas station on Edibe Edibe Street in Calabar South Local Government Area, leaving several residents injured and causing widespread property damage. The affected facility, Fonex Gas Station, was completely destroyed by the fire, which consumed its fuel and gas storage tanks, along with vehicles parked on the premises.
The explosion took place in a crowded neighborhood, impacting nearby shops and buildings. Residents and business owners fled as the flames spread, with many sustaining injuries from the blast. Some victims received first aid at local patent medicine stores, while others were taken to hospitals for further care.
At the time of the incident, both police and fire service personnel had not yet reached the scene, creating an initial security gap. This delay allowed some opportunists to loot damaged shops and the station itself.
Thousands of onlookers gathered, with some attempting to control the fire using sand, water, and other improvised methods.
Eyewitnesses offered differing accounts of the cause. Some suggested that the explosion could have been triggered by a customer using a phone near the gas pumps. Others suspected an electrical fault or outdated equipment at the station. Parents were seen frantically searching for children who were near the explosion, adding to the tense scene.
Police officers have since been deployed, and efforts are ongoing to bring in fire service teams, including assistance from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, to contain the fire and secure the area.
This event follows a similar incident in Lagos, where a gas tanker collided with a tipper truck in the Ajah-Sangotedo area, killing two people and destroying warehouses along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The explosion in Calabar has raised urgent concerns over safety at gas stations in densely populated areas and the need for timely emergency response.