Two welders have been confirmed dead following an explosion at a filling station in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State on Friday.
Three other persons sustained injuries in the incident, which occurred in the Daffo community during maintenance work on an underground fuel tank.
Residents, including the Chairman of the Community Peace Observers, Kefas Mallai, said the explosion happened while a welder and his apprentice were attempting to fix a leaking section of the tank.
According to Mallai, the workers had assumed the tank was empty and posed no danger before commencing repairs.
“On Friday, April 17, 2026, two persons died and three others were injured when an underground tank at a filling station exploded during welding maintenance in Daffo, Bokkos LGA,” he said.
He explained that the explosion occurred shortly after the welding work began, triggering a fire that killed the two artisans instantly.
Three individuals who were nearby at the time of the blast suffered varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Mallai added that residents and sympathisers had gathered at the scene shortly after the incident.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to release an official statement, and the identities of the victims were still unknown.
