Several people were feared dead on Friday night following a gas explosion in the Bioku-Alaadun community of Ona Ara Local Government Area, Oyo State.

According to reports, the blast occurred while a gas tanker was offloading its contents into a local retail outlet. The explosion reportedly injured the shop owner and several others who were nearby at the time.

Confirming the incident, Yemi Akinyinka, General Manager of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, said emergency responders were deployed and actively working to contain the situation.

“Our officers are on the ground and still responding. The explosion happened while gas was being discharged. We can confirm that there are casualties, but the full details are still being compiled,” Akinyinka stated.

Authorities are continuing rescue and recovery operations as investigations into the cause of the explosion are underway.