The Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko yesterday said a committee would be set up to take inventory of the damaged properties at the scene even as there has been no record of any life lost following the Saturday’s night gas explosion on Arakale road in Akure the Ondo State capital.
Governor Mimiko while speaking at the scene of the incident said the committee to be set up will determine the compensation due to the victims of the inferno.
He however pointed out that the gas outlet responsible for the inferno was not approved for such business.
The gas explosion, which occurred following leakage at a gas retail outlet led to destruction of about eleven houses and properties worth millions of naira with eight people sustaining varying degrees of burns without loss of life.
Governor Mimiko, who described the occurrence as unfortunate, read out the letter of rejection of approval for citing the retail outlet on the location and handed over same to residents of the area.
The Governor assured that all illegal filling stations located in residential areas and other hazardous locations in the state would be pulled down, calling on the people to be vigilant and report illegal retail outlet of gas to appropriate authorities for necessary action and for the safety of lives and property.
Dr Mimiko also visited the Truama Centre in Ondo where some of the victims were receiving treatment and he promised full responsibility of government for their bills.
He said “Gas filling outfit right in the middle of residential areas is unacceptable. In terms of development, control practice, this is unacceptable. The unfortunate aspect of all of these is the culture of impunity. This man applied to set up the facility there in May this year and by June, the ministry wrote a letter rejecting the approval yet he went ahead to expose the lives of the people to danger here. This makes one to be sad”.
“As I’m speaking with you, none of those affected is dead. Eight people were involved in the burn injury as at now, all of them are still living. We pray that they will all make it”.