A gas explosion has hit Sheka quarters in Kumbotso local government area of Kano State, leaving no fewer than 20 persons injured and many shops razed in its aftermath.
Reports said that the gas explosion went off around 8pm on Thursday at a gas cylinder refilling shop.
A resident of the area, Malam Idi, said the gas exploded and triggered fire which injured the victims and burnt shops.
He said the incident affected mostly persons in the gas shop and other business owners in adjacent shops.
Last month, a similar explosion left nine persons dead, with schoolchildren injured, in what police later said was an IED.
Meanwhile, contacted, the spokesperson of the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Yusif, confirmed the incident.
He put the figure of victims affected at 20.
Yusif further said the affected victims had been evacuated to the hospital by the firemen deployed in the scene by the Service.
He attributed the cause of the incident to a man frying and selling fish near the gas shop.
“We received an emergency call at about (sic) 7:04p.m., from Adamu Muhd who reported an outbreak of fire at Sheka Karshen Kwalta, Kumbotso local government area.
“Upon arriving (at) the scene of the incident, we found a building of ground floor of about 40 by 40 feet used as a dwelling place and shops engulfed by fire.
“The cause of the incident was a fish seller near the gas shop.
“Twenty people were involved and they were rescued and taken to the hospital,” Yusif said.
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