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| Nigeria: Fireworks blaze kills at least one | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An explosion in a warehouse has sparked a major fire and killed at least one person in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city and commercial capital. | |
| Officials said a building storing fireworks in the largest market area of Lagos Island exploded, and the ensuing blaze spread to up to nine buildings. | Officials said a building storing fireworks in the largest market area of Lagos Island exploded, and the ensuing blaze spread to up to nine buildings. |
| The blast reportedly shook windows of homes miles away and a thick cloud of smoke could be seen over the city. | The blast reportedly shook windows of homes miles away and a thick cloud of smoke could be seen over the city. |
| More than 30 people have been injured. | |
| A cloud of smoke billowed from the scene of the explosion, accompanied by the sparks of fireworks. | A cloud of smoke billowed from the scene of the explosion, accompanied by the sparks of fireworks. |
| The sound of popping and crackling carried on as the fire raged on in this densely populated part of Lagos full of closely packed buildings in narrow streets. | The sound of popping and crackling carried on as the fire raged on in this densely populated part of Lagos full of closely packed buildings in narrow streets. |
| Residents of the area told me they thought it was a bomb at first when blast shook buildings around Jankara Market, the largest in Lagos. | Residents of the area told me they thought it was a bomb at first when blast shook buildings around Jankara Market, the largest in Lagos. |
| A few people showed me shrapnel wounds they got even though they were a fair distance from the explosion. | A few people showed me shrapnel wounds they got even though they were a fair distance from the explosion. |
| There was little the people could do but watch, with some trying to get photographs of the incident on their mobile phones. | There was little the people could do but watch, with some trying to get photographs of the incident on their mobile phones. |
| Emergency workers say they had problems getting past the huge crowds of onlookers, similar to a complaint they raised in June when a plane crashed into a residential area in another part of Lagos. | Emergency workers say they had problems getting past the huge crowds of onlookers, similar to a complaint they raised in June when a plane crashed into a residential area in another part of Lagos. |
| An official from the National Emergency Management Agency told the AFP news agency that a charred body had been pulled out of the building where the fireworks detonated. | |
| Thousands of people in the area gathered to watch, as the fire destroyed neighbouring buildings. | Thousands of people in the area gathered to watch, as the fire destroyed neighbouring buildings. |
| Some residents jumped out of windows in panic as fireworks exploded long after the initial blaze, AFP also reported. | |
| The BBC's Tomi Oladipo, who is at the scene, says he saw people with shrapnel wounds some distance from the fire and that it is quite likely anyone closer would have been worse affected. | The BBC's Tomi Oladipo, who is at the scene, says he saw people with shrapnel wounds some distance from the fire and that it is quite likely anyone closer would have been worse affected. |
| The Nigerian Red Cross said it had treated at least 30 people, AFP reported. | The Nigerian Red Cross said it had treated at least 30 people, AFP reported. |
| Firefighters took about an hour to reach the scene, according to our correspondent, because of the huge crowds. | Firefighters took about an hour to reach the scene, according to our correspondent, because of the huge crowds. |
| Some residents grabbed hoses from fire engines and tried to fight the blaze themselves, but the Associated Press reports that the engines quickly ran out of water. | Some residents grabbed hoses from fire engines and tried to fight the blaze themselves, but the Associated Press reports that the engines quickly ran out of water. |
| Police and security officials recovered mortar-like fireworks and many empty firework shells from the scene, the agency said. | Police and security officials recovered mortar-like fireworks and many empty firework shells from the scene, the agency said. |
| Our correspondent says that for years there have been calls for the ban of fireworks – which are widely used during the end-of-year holidays in Nigeria – but they have never been enforced. | Our correspondent says that for years there have been calls for the ban of fireworks – which are widely used during the end-of-year holidays in Nigeria – but they have never been enforced. |
| Are you in Lagos? Did you witness the fire? Please share your comments and experiences. | Are you in Lagos? Did you witness the fire? Please share your comments and experiences. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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