A gas explosion at the Good Shepherd Catering School in Orokeonuoha, Ebonyi State, has claimed the life of one student and left nine others, mostly school girls, with severe burns. The explosion, which occurred on Friday, October 20, 2024, has sent shockwaves through the community.
The victims, aged between 12 and 19, were in the middle of their catering studies when tragedy struck. According to eyewitnesses, the explosion occurred after one of the students answered a phone call while inside the kitchen, leading to the blast from a gas cylinder.
Five of the girls are currently fighting for their lives at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (A-E FUTHA) in Abakaliki, where they are being treated in the intensive care unit. Reports indicate that these five are on life support as doctors race against time to save them.
One of the severely injured students is 17-year-old Chisom, the daughter of Emmanuel Nwizi, a staff member of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Abakaliki. Speaking to reporters, an emotional Mr. Nwizi recounted how he rushed to the scene after receiving a frantic call around 6:30 a.m.
“I got a call that the kitchen section of the catering school was on fire. I hurried there immediately because my daughter is a student,” Mr. Nwizi explained, still visibly shaken by the events. He later found his daughter among the victims, suffering from severe burns.
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According to one student, the explosion might have been avoided if the victim had not entered the kitchen with her phone, a dangerous practice around gas cylinders.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with students huddled in groups, in shock over the explosion that disrupted what should have been a normal day of catering studies.
Though the school authorities have yet to make an official statement, parents at the scene commended them for their immediate response. “They haven’t asked their parents for money yet. Their focus has been on saving lives first, and for that, we’re grateful,” Mr. Nwizi added.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion and are expected to release a statement soon. The tragedy has drawn attention to the dangers of handling gas equipment and the importance of safety precautions in educational environments.
