By Onwa Ekor
Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has described the gas explosion which occurred this morning at Edibe-Edibe street in Calabar South, as shocking, even as he assured victims of immediate government intervention.
The governor, who assessed the level of damage at the scene, lamented the scale of destruction caused by the explosion, noting that both lives and property were affected.
“What I have seen here is shocking. It is a huge, huge damage,” Otu said.
He expressed concern over the siting of such facilities within residential areas, stressing the need for stricter safety measures to prevent future occurrences.
“I know very well this kind of facility should not be in a residential area, but unfortunately this one is here. I believe that steps must be taken to prevent this kind of occurrence in the future,” he stated.
The governor disclosed that several victims are currently receiving treatment in hospitals, while many homes have been destroyed or severely damaged.
He assured that the state government would act swiftly to support affected residents.
“We have several casualties in the hospital and people houses have been damaged. Government is going to act quickly,” he assured.
Otu announced that the state would provide free medical treatment for all victims and consider compensation for those who suffered losses.
“We will take care of them. We are providing free medical treatment for those affected and will also look into compensation to help them return to their normal lives as quickly as possible,” Otu assured.
A victim, Mrs. Rosa Asuquo, recounted her ordeal and called for urgent government assistance, alleging that efforts to reach the fire service during the emergency were unsuccessful.
“While I was away, my children called me that there was a fire outbreak. When I got here, everything was already in chaos. I tried calling the fire service, but there was no response. There was no rescue until the fire went off by itself,” she claimed.
She lamented the extent of the losses, noting that several properties were destroyed, many people injured, and appealed to the government to assist affected residents and strengthen emergency response systems.
Meanwhile, a statement by the Cross River Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed that at approximately 10:00 AM on 21st March 2026, a gas explosion occurred during an attempt to transfer gas from the storage tank to the service tank by a gas attendant.
The statement added that “during the operation, the hose detached, causing gas fumes to leak into the surrounding area.
“All attempts to secure the storage tap were unsuccessful, and the attendant had to evacuate immediately.
“The leak happened rapidly,” the statement said, “leaving insufficient time to warn nearby residents. The area was engulfed in flames, resulting in significant property damage, the value of which is currently unquantified. Several residents sustained injuries, primarily burns.
“Those with serious burns have been transported to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.
“Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported at this time.
“As at now 38 victims with different degrees of burns has been evacuated to UCTH,” the PPRO concluded.
