The Plateau State Police Command has confirmed that two persons died and three others sustained injuries following an explosion at a filling station in Daffo District, Bokkos Local Government Area of the state. The incident, which occurred at a busy fuel outlet, has thrown the community into mourning and raised fresh concerns over safety at petroleum facilities.
Police Public Relations Officer DSP Alfred Alabo said preliminary findings indicate the blast happened while staff were offloading fuel from a tanker into the station’s underground storage tank. A sudden fire outbreak triggered the explosion, engulfing part of the premises and catching attendants and customers unawares. “Two male victims died on the spot, while three others suffered varying degrees of burns and were rushed to Cottage Hospital, Bokkos, for treatment,” Alabo stated.
Eyewitnesses in Daffo described a loud bang followed by thick smoke and flames that sent residents and motorists fleeing. Local youths joined emergency responders to evacuate victims before the arrival of fire service personnel, who later contained the blaze and prevented it from spreading to nearby shops and homes. The filling station has been cordoned off as investigators comb the site for clues.
The Command has launched a full investigation to determine the exact cause of the explosion, with a focus on possible breaches of safety protocols during fuel discharge. Alabo assured the public that experts from the state fire service and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority will be involved, and findings will be made public. He urged filling station operators across Plateau to strictly adhere to safety guidelines, especially during product offloading.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang, through his Commissioner for Information, expressed condolences to families of the deceased and directed the State Emergency Management Agency to support the injured. Community leaders in Bokkos have called for urgent safety audits of all fuel stations in the LGA, warning that lax enforcement continues to put lives at risk.
