Many severely injured as CNG vehicle explodes

A tragic explosion involving a CNG-powered vehicle at the NIPCO filling station in Aduwawa, Benin City, Edo State, on Wednesday left three individuals critically injured.

Among the victims is a motorist who sustained severe eye injuries.

An eyewitness, who works as an attendant at the station, shared details with *The PUNCH* on Thursday, noting that two other victims—a woman whose stomach was severely injured and another individual whose foot was amputated—are receiving medical care at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Ugbowo.

The explosion has been linked to an improperly modified cylinder, fabricated by a local welder without proper authorization. The welder has since surrendered to the authorities.

“The blast happened while vehicles were lined up for refueling. The car being serviced exploded suddenly,” the source revealed. “The injuries were horrific: one person’s eye was badly damaged, another victim’s stomach was ripped open, and a third person had their foot amputated as a result of the explosion. They are all at UBTH, and we are praying for their recovery.”

At the scene, a technician was seen carefully inspecting cylinders before allowing refueling to continue. Efforts to get comments from the station’s manager were unsuccessful, as he declined to speak on the matter.

Joshua Uwaila, the Public Relations Officer of UBTH, confirmed that the motorist with eye injuries is in stable condition.

In response to the incident, the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI) issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), expressing sympathy for the victims and acknowledging the illegal modification of the vehicle involved.

“The Presidential CNG Initiative acknowledges the unfortunate event involving an illegally altered vehicle at the NIPCO CNG station in Aduwawa, Benin City. We extend our thoughts to those affected and are grateful that no lives were lost. Safe handling of hydrocarbons is critical to their usage,” the statement read.

The PCNGI further emphasized that preliminary investigations confirmed that the modified cylinder did not meet approved safety standards for CNG usage. They are working closely with the police, regulatory bodies, and NIPCO to investigate further.

“This incident highlights the urgency of launching the Nigeria Gas Vehicle Monitoring System, in collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), NMDPRA, NADDC, and FRSC. We call on stakeholders to ensure compliance with safety regulations and only use accredited conversion centres to prevent such incidents,” the statement added.