At least ten students from Good Shepherd Catholic Catering School in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, have been admitted to the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital following a gas explosion that took place in the kitchen area of the all-female institution.
Naijaonpoint reports that the tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Friday and involved students who were engaged in kitchen activities at the time.
Comrade Emmanuel Nwizi, the father of one of the affected students, reported that the explosion was reportedly triggered by an Android phone that a student had brought into the kitchen.
Comrade Nwizi, who is employed by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Abakaliki, indicated that five of the injured students were placed on life support in the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital, while their parents worked closely with the Catholic School administration to ensure they received the best possible care.
He mentioned that his daughter, Miss Chisom Nwizi, sustained severe burns and had only recently been admitted to the school last month.
According to Leadership, the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the occurrence of the incident but refrained from providing additional details.
Sources affiliated with the school revealed that the Catholic Reverend Sisters overseeing the institution were actively engaged in efforts to save the students’ lives.