At least four people were killed when a cooking gas plant in Nnewi, Anambra State exploded at about 11am on Thursday.
Some unverified eyewitness accounts however put the casualty figures from 37 to 120.
The blast happened when a truck was discharging butane gas at Inter Corp Oil limited (LPG Gas Plant), a subsidiary of Chikason Group, while customers were refilling their gas bottles, residents said.
“Four people died and four people were injured,” said Red Cross spokesman Peter Kachi. “The gas plant was completely destroyed and several houses around the scene damaged.”
The dead and injured were taken to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi.
Chikason is a private, multinational conglomerate made up of more than 13 companies and affiliated businesses that was started off in Nigeria, and is now based around Africa.
It is owned by Chief Alexander Chika Okafor (OON).
