Panic gripped residents of Hadejia town in Jigawa State on Saturday evening following a fire outbreak at a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) retail outlet along Katagum Road, which destroyed three shops, two vehicles and a motorcycle.
The incident occurred when a gas delivery truck arrived at the outlet to offload supplies, eyewitnesses said.
According to accounts gathered at the scene, the fire was allegedly triggered by the preparation of tofu known as (awara) near the gas facility. Witnesses said an open flame came into contact with the gas, resulting in an explosion that quickly escalated into a major fire outbreak.
The explosion caused widespread panic as residents and traders fled the area for safety, while some attempted to salvage goods from nearby shops before the fire spread further.
An eyewitness described the incident as frightening, saying the explosions sounded “like bomb blasts” as several gas cylinders burst one after another.
“We saw thick smoke covering the area, and everyone started running,” the witness said.
Fire service personnel, supported by security agencies, responded promptly and succeeded in containing the blaze, preventing it from spreading to more buildings.
Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the Jigawa State Police Command, SP Lawan Shiisu Adam, said no lives were lost in the fire.
He disclosed that three shops were completely destroyed, while two vehicles and one motorcycle were burnt during the incident.
“The fire was successfully extinguished with the support of other security agencies,” he said.
Although the exact value of property lost has yet to be determined, residents estimated the damage to run into millions of naira.
Eyewitnesses also reported that more than 10 gas cylinders exploded during the inferno.
