A technician and yet-to-be-identified persons have been confirmed dead as gas exploded in the Conference Hall of Hotel Presidential Boulevard, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
The hotel, located at the Water Corporation Headquarters junction in Abeokuta, is owned by the former Governor of the state, Gbenga Daniel.
Three others victims sustained injuries and were receiving treatment in a hospital.
Confirming the incident, the Hotel Facility Manager, Tunde Osinubi, in a statement, said the explosion occurred as a result of a fake gas cylinder used while servicing a revolving door at the hotel.
He said: “A routine maintenance of the Automatic revolving door at the entrance of the Hotel reception which involved the use of oxyacetylene gas to weld the door hinges was being carried out.
“The Oxyacetylene gas cylinder suddenly exploded, killing the technician and one other person yet to be identified. The gas cylinder purchased at the open market may be fake and unable to withstand gas pressure”.
Osinubi, however, expressed the sympathy of the hotel management with families and friends of the deceased, advising the general public to be beware of fake gas cylinders in the market.
No fewer than four persons, including a minor, had died from incidents of gas explosion in Abeokuta in the last two weeks.
