By: Kamal Yalwa – May 17, 2025
A tragic gas cylinder explosion on Friday rocked the Plumbing Market along Uga Street, near the bustling Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, leaving two persons dead and several others severely injured.
The explosion occurred during working hours, causing chaos and panic as traders, customers, and pedestrians fled in all directions to avoid the blast.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion was triggered while a welder was using carbide to work on a piece of metal, which led to the sudden detonation of a gas cylinder.
Confirming the incident, a market leader, Uzomah Eke, said, “Two persons died yesterday (Friday) in our market at the plumbing section of Bridge Head Market, Onitsha, due to a cylinder explosion. A welder was working with carbide when the gas cylinder exploded, killing two people and injuring many others who were close by.”
Eke added that the blast scattered body parts and left destruction in its wake. “Some goods and properties were also destroyed. People ran away, many without locking their shops. It was a moment of fear and confusion,” he said.
While the Anambra State Fire Chief, Chukwudi Chiketa, stated that he had not yet been briefed about the incident, the spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the explosion.
Ikenga noted that police operatives from the Onitsha Head Bridge Divisional Headquarters responded swiftly to complement rescue efforts. “On May 16, 2025, police officers assisted in the rescue of six victims following the gas cylinder explosion at a plumbing market on Uga Street, which unfortunately resulted in one confirmed fatality,” he said.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the welding gas cylinder exploded due to excessive heat exposure during a metal welding operation,” Ikenga added.
The injured victims are currently receiving treatment in the hospital, while the deceased has been deposited at a local morgue.
In response to the incident, Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, expressed concern and issued safety guidelines to prevent future occurrences.
“These include regular inspection and maintenance of gas cylinder equipment, proper storage practices, and adherence to manufacturers’ safety guidelines,” he stated.
Authorities have also taken steps to secure the area and prevent opportunistic crimes in the aftermath of the explosion.
