Cross River State Governor Tours Site of Calabar Blast, Vows Assistance for Those Affected

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has conducted a visit to the site of the gas fire explosion that took place on Saturday morning at Edibe Edibe in Calabar South Local Government Area, characterizing the event as shocking and pledging immediate government intervention for the victims.

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The governor, during his assessment of the damage on Saturday evening in Calabar, expressed dismay at the scale of destruction caused by the explosion, noting that both lives and property were significantly impacted by the incident.

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He described the scene, stating, "What I have seen here is shocking, it is a huge, huge damage, the scale of destruction caused by the explosion is really huge," highlighting his concern over the explosion's devastating effects.

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Otu also voiced his concern regarding the location of such facilities within residential areas, emphasizing the need for stricter safety measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

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He stated, "I know very well this kind of facility should not be in a residential area, but unfortunately, this one is here, I believe that steps must be taken to prevent this kind of occurrence in the future," underscoring the importance of preventive measures.

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The governor disclosed that several victims are currently receiving medical treatment in hospitals, while numerous homes have been destroyed or severely damaged, and assured that the state government would act swiftly to support the affected residents.

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Otu said, "We have several casualties in the hospital, and people's houses have been damaged, Government is going to act quickly," emphasizing the government's commitment to providing assistance.

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The governor announced that the state would provide free medical treatment to all victims and consider compensation for those who suffered losses, aiming to help them recover from the incident as quickly as possible.

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He stated, "We will take care of them, we are providing free medical treatment for those affected and will also look into compensation to help them return to their normal lives as quickly as possible," outlining the government's plan to support the victims.

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A victim, Mrs. Rosa Asuquo, shared her experience and called for urgent government assistance, alleging that attempts to contact the fire service during the emergency were unsuccessful, highlighting the need for improved emergency response systems.

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She recounted, "While I was away, my children called me to say that there was a fire outbreak, when I got here, everything was already in chaos, I tried calling the fire service, but there was no response, there was no rescue until the fire went out by itself," describing the challenging situation she faced.

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Mrs. Asuquo expressed the extent of the losses, noting that several properties were destroyed and many people were injured, and appealed to the government to assist the affected residents and strengthen emergency response systems.

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She added, "Several properties have been destroyed and many people injured, I am appealing to the State government to assist affected residents and strengthen emergency response systems, this incident that occurred around No. 69 Edibe Edibe has left many residents in distress," emphasizing the need for government support.