Two of the ten schoolgirls who sustained severe burns in the Ebonyi gas explosion have passed away, according to Professor Robinson Onoh, the chief medical director of Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki.
It was also reported that five of the victims were on life support following the explosion, which took place inside the Good Shepherd Catering School, where the girls, aged between 12 and 19, were undergoing catering training.
Cause of the Explosion
The explosion was believed to have occurred after one of the students answered a phone call while cooking in the kitchen, causing a gas cylinder to explode.
The incident took place in Orokeonuoha, in the Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, located in Southeast Nigeria. All of the victims are receiving treatment at the federal teaching hospital.
Professor Onoh stated that medical staff have been working diligently to prevent any further fatalities. The team includes nurses, plastic surgeons, anaesthetists, and internal medicine and respiratory specialists, all working together to provide the necessary care.
He confirmed that two students had already died—one on arrival and another on 19th October. The medical team remains committed to ensuring no more lives are lost.
Mr Onoh highlighted that the primary challenges they face are inhalation and the use of saver dressing foam. He explained that inhalation occurs due to the accumulation of smoke from burns, which affects patients’ breathing, though they have been able to manage it separately from the burns.
The saver dressing foam, which helps speed up the healing process and reduces the need for frequent dressing changes, is another challenge. However, it is quite costly and not readily available locally, so they had to source it from Enugu State.
