Four persons were reported dead and 11 hospitalised following an explosion at a gas plant in Agbor, Delta State, last Friday, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has confirmed.
The governor disclosed this to journalists on Saturday after visiting the plant, destroyed property and families of victims of the incident.
He described the fire disaster as an unfortunate incident and announced that the state government would pick the bill for medical treatment of the victims.
He said the patients were referred to a specialized centre for the treatment of burns at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for further treatment because of the high degree of burns they sustained.
“It was an unfortunate fire incident involving a gas station where the tanker was trying to discharge gas,” he said.
“We have visited the place and the victims and we have seen the extent of damage caused by the inferno.
“We lost four persons, three children and a woman.
“After my visit to the two families that lost their dear ones, I also visited the Central Hospital at Agbor where they were initially rushed to with varying degree of burns ranging from 80 to 90 per cent.
“They were immediately offered medical services even though they wouldn’t have been able to attend to them because of the extent of the burns so they have to transfer them to the Federal Medical Centre Asaba and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital with aid of ambulances provided by the State Government.
“I have directed the Commissioner for Health to make some deposits at the hospitals to enable them have full treatment,” he said.
The governor said that complaints of inadequate medical care for the victims at the Agbor Central Hospital were misplaced, adding that most people who complained didn’t have an idea of what they were talking about.
“I have listened and heard the complaints. Haven listened to the Medical Director and the extent to which they went, obviously the patients had severe and extensive burns,” he added.