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| Nigeria: Lagos Island fireworks blaze kills at least one | Nigeria: Lagos Island fireworks blaze kills at least one |
| (about 13 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. | 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 in homes miles away and a thick cloud of smoke could be seen over the city. | The blast reportedly shook windows in homes miles away and a thick cloud of smoke could be seen over the city. |
| More than 30 people have been injured. | 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 a 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 a blast shook buildings around Jankara Market, the largest in Lagos. |
| A few people showed me shrapnel wounds they suffered even though they were a fair distance from the explosion. | A few people showed me shrapnel wounds they suffered even though they were a fair distance from the explosion. |
| There was little that people could do but watch, with some trying to get photographs of the incident on their mobile phones. | There was little that 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 (Nema) told AFP news agency that a charred body had been pulled out of the building where the fireworks detonated. | An official from the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) told AFP news agency that a charred body had been pulled out of the building where the fireworks detonated. |
| The force of the initial blast was such that some residents reportedly mistook it for a bomb or a falling plane. | The force of the initial blast was such that some residents reportedly mistook it for a bomb or a falling plane. |
| Windows in nearby buildings were shattered and a neighbouring school was badly damaged. | Windows in nearby buildings were shattered and a neighbouring school was badly damaged. |
| Desperate search | Desperate search |
| 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 were desperately searching the crowd for information on family members while the fire was burning and sporadic fireworks explosions could still be heard. | Some were desperately searching the crowd for information on family members while the fire was burning and sporadic fireworks explosions could still be heard. |
| "Everything has burned now. I don't see my brother now or his son - I've not seen anybody now. They might have collapsed inside there, nobody can enter there," said one man. | "Everything has burned now. I don't see my brother now or his son - I've not seen anybody now. They might have collapsed inside there, nobody can enter there," said one man. |
| Some residents jumped out of windows in panic as fireworks exploded long after the initial blaze, according to a statement from Nema quoted by AFP. | Some residents jumped out of windows in panic as fireworks exploded long after the initial blaze, according to a statement from Nema quoted by AFP. |
| The BBC's Tomi Oladipo described seeing other people who had sustained shrapnel wounds some distance from the fire. | The BBC's Tomi Oladipo described seeing other people who had sustained shrapnel wounds some distance from the fire. |
| Some were hurt as they tried to put out the flames and were taken to hospital for treatment. | Some were hurt as they tried to put out the flames and were taken to hospital for treatment. |
| Firefighters took about an hour to reach the scene, partly because of the huge crowds, our correspondent says. | Firefighters took about an hour to reach the scene, partly because of the huge crowds, our correspondent says. |
| Residents grabbed hoses from fire engines in attempt to fight the blaze, but the water quickly ran out, Associated Press reports. | Residents grabbed hoses from fire engines in attempt to fight the blaze, but the water quickly ran out, Associated Press reports. |
| A government official told Reuters news agency that the firefighting operation was hampered by the risk of new explosions from so many fireworks. | A government official told Reuters news agency that the firefighting operation was hampered by the risk of new explosions from so many fireworks. |
| "It's very dangerous for the firemen to go in, because the government don't want any of these men to be injured." | "It's very dangerous for the firemen to go in, because the government don't want any of these men to be injured." |
| Police and security officials reportedly recovered mortar-like fireworks and empty firework shells from the scene. | Police and security officials reportedly recovered mortar-like fireworks and empty firework shells from the scene. |
| Our correspondent says that for years there have been calls to ban fireworks. | Our correspondent says that for years there have been calls to ban fireworks. |
| However, they continue to be widely used during the Christmas and new year holidays. | However, they continue to be widely used during the Christmas and new year holidays. |