An explosion at a gas refilling outlet near Liberty Junction in Kubwa, Abuja, triggered panic among residents early Sunday morning after a fire broke out at the facility.
The Federal Fire Service, FCT Command, said its firefighters, alongside other emergency responders, arrived at the scene at about 6:30 a.m. and successfully contained the fire, preventing what it described as a potentially major gas explosion.
The blast reportedly shook nearby buildings, uprooted signposts and overturned a traffic warden’s booth around Liberty Junction.
In a statement, the Federal Fire Service said, “The Federal Fire Service, FCT Command firefighters and other emergency responders today, Sunday 27th September 2026, at about 6:30am swiftly responded to a gas fire at Liberty Junction, Kubwa, Abuja, averting what would have been a major destructive gas explosion.”
Additional fire service water tankers and operatives of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA were also reported to have joined the emergency response.
Some eyewitnesses who shared accounts of the incident on Facebook alleged that the fire started after a motorist driving against traffic crashed into the gas outlet, where gas cylinders were reportedly kept.
However, the claim has not been independently verified, while authorities had yet to officially confirm the cause of the incident.
Residents of nearby areas, including Dantata Estate, said the explosion was loud enough to wake people from sleep, with some reporting that their buildings shook during the incident.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no immediate official confirmation of deaths or injuries.
The cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the reported vehicle collision remain subject to further investigation.
