Explosion struck at Canadian High Commission in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, as an explosion claimed the lives of two individuals and sent two more to the hospital. The incident, which occurred on Diplomatic Drive in the city’s central business district, was attributed to a tanker explosion inside the generator building. The explosion resulted in a massive fire and sent plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky.

Mercy Douglas, a spokesperson for the FCT Fire Service, revealed that the explosion occurred within the generator building, claiming the lives of two men employed by the company responsible for managing the generator. Additionally, two individuals outside the building were injured by the blast and are currently receiving medical treatment.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly expressed her condolences to the families of the victims and pledged that officials are actively investigating the incident to determine its cause. The High Commission will remain closed until further notice as Global Affairs Canada collaborates with local authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.

Global Affairs Canada released a statement confirming that one of the deceased individuals was a “locally engaged employee” of the High Commission and extended sympathies to the affected families while wishing a speedy recovery to those injured. Fortunately, all other staff members at the High Commission emerged unharmed from the incident.

The fire service received the distress call at 11:55 a.m. on a Monday and swiftly responded to combat the blaze. Firefighters managed to subdue the fire and were back at the station by 1 p.m., according to Douglas. While the incident’s cause is still under investigation, the department has indicated that initial findings point toward it being an accident rather than a deliberate act.

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