The Ogun State Government has shut Gasco Marine Ltd, whose truck was involved in an accident that resulted in an explosion in the Ita-Oshin area of Abeokuta North LGA on Saturday.
The explosion killed one person, burned five automobiles, and damaged an undisclosed number of shops.
Speaking in an interview after sealing the company’s premises in Onijoganjogan, Abeokuta, Hon. Farouq Akintunde, Senior Special Assistant to the Ogun Governor on Environment and Chairman of the Special Task Force on Environmental Matters, said the accident was caused by the company’s negligence.
He said: “Two days ago, Ogun State was in a tumult with the news of fire incident that occurred around Ita-Oshin. We can authoritatively confirm that the truck that was involved in that fire is from this company.
“It was a sorry case because it involved loss of life and destruction of properties. Our preliminary investigation shows that it is an act of negligence from the company as they did not do the needful as regards the truck.
“As a regulatory body which is in control of all these matters, we believe there is a need for us to conduct safety and audit tests on all their trucks to prevent future occurrence. In doing so, we have to shut down the premises and after that all other procedures will follow.”
Akintunde said the company would be unsealed as soon as all necessary steps and precautions have been put in place, maintaining as a business-friendly state, the government does not take joy in sealing business premises perpetually.Picture: Senior Special Assistant to the Ogun State Governor on Environment, Hon. Farouq Akintunde and a staff of the ministry, Habeb Musa, at Gasco Marine, the gas company whose truck caused an inferno at Ita-Oshin, in Abeokuta North Local Government area of the state.
