Tragedy struck on Wednesday at the Anyama Motor Mechanic Village, in the Mile Two area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as a faulty gas cylinder exploded, injuring three persons and chopping off the left leg of a mechanic.
The incident happened when the mechanic, whose name had yet to be ascertained, was passing near the cylinder.
The impact of the explosion was said to have chopped off the victim’s left leg from the knee downward, shattering the phones in his pockets.
A witness, Okey Peter, said residents rushed to the scene after the deafening noise, which caused panic in the area.
The witness said the exploded cylinder was not in use when the accident happened.
Peter explained that the mechanic was rushing to a nearby shop to purchase some materials when he was caught in the explosion.
He said, “The explosion was very loud. When I got to the scene, I saw four people on the floor, bleeding; a mechanic was affected the most. His case was worst; his left leg was cut off from his knee.
“His phones were shattered, including his SIM cards, so there was no way to reach his wife or family members. But we took all the victims to the Meridian Hospital for medical attention.”
A spokesman for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Nnamdi Omoni, said the incident had not been reported to the police,.
