An industrial gas tank exploded in southern Nigeria, killing at least four people and leaving bodies charred beyond recognition, a Red Cross official said.
The blast occurred as residents gathered to buy cooking gas on Christmas Eve in Nnewi, said Chume Ibeabuchi, who oversees records at the local Red Cross.
It’s common for residents to take their cooking gas cylinders for refilling — especially in preparation for holiday festivities.
Ibeabuchi said he organized a Red Cross response team that arrived hours later and found police, military and fire officials at the scene.
While the exact cause of the blast is unclear, he said it appears someone filling up on gas did not follow the proper procedure.
Local media reported higher death tolls, but the Red Cross team counted four bodies when it arrived.
The Red Cross also took four people with severe burns to the hospital, Ibeabuchi said.
Government officials did not immediately return CNN’s repeated calls for clarification.
Nnewi is a predominantly Christian city about 280 miles east of Lagos.