Two school girls confirmed dead from Ebonyi gas explosion

Two out of the 10 school girls who suffered severe burns from the Ebonyi gas explosion have died.

Robinson Onoh, a professor and chief medical director of Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how five of the victims were on life support after the explosion occurred inside the Good Shepherd Catering School building, where the girls, aged 12 to 19, were doing their catering studies.

One of the students was said to have answered a phone call from a cell phone while cooking inside the kitchen before a gas cylinder exploded.

The incident occurred in Orokeonuoha, Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, South-east Nigeria.

All the victims were being treated at the federal teaching hospital.

Mr Onoh said that medical personnel had been on the ground to ensure no death was recorded again.

“Both nurses, plastic surgeons, anaesthetist team, internal medicine and respiratory team and management are on the ground to do the needful.

“We lost two already; one on arrival, and yesterday, 19 October, we lost another, making it two deaths. Our team is on the ground to make sure we do not lose another person,” he said.

Mr Onoh revealed that inhalation and saver dressing foam were the major challenges.

“Inhalation is a result of accumulation of smoke from burns; it is part of the burns affecting their breathing; we have been able to separate them.

“The saver dressing foam reduces the frequency of dressing and makes the healing process faster.

“The inhalation is a big challenge; burns can be managed but once there is an inhalational component, it becomes a problem.

“Saver dressing foam is quite expensive; it is not available here; we had to get this from Enugu State.

“We hope to get more; we do not want to use a particular one which could cause infection, pains and affect healing.

“We need help because it is demanding on the hospital, using internal infusion and drugs.”

The medical doctor called on the Ebonyi State Government to assist the hospital in ensuring the medical care of the patients.

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“We are also calling on Wife of the governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, to support and also medical organisations, philanthropists to help,” he said.

Mr Onoh applauded the management, reverend sisters and priests in the catering school for their level of concern in providing care.

Augustine Nwokoku, the father of one of the victims, commended the medical team and management of the school on teamwork to ensure the hospitalised students were taken care of.