An early morning explosion involving a compressed natural gas (CNG) bus caused panic at Mando Motor Park in Kaduna State on Sunday, damaging at least two vehicles.
The incident, which occurred between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m., initially sparked fears of a possible bomb blast before authorities confirmed it was gas-related.
A garage worker, Abdulkadir Abdullahi, said the explosion originated from a CNG-powered bus parked within the facility.
“Fortunately, no life was lost and no one sustained injuries because there was no passenger inside the vehicle at the time of the incident. However, the explosion caused panic among people within the garage,” he said.
He added that the blast affected two luxury buses belonging to a transport company, noting that the damaged vehicles had since been evacuated.
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mansir Hassan, dismissed reports suggesting the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device.
In a statement, Hassan explained that the incident occurred at Silver Luxury Travel, a transport company operating gas-powered vehicles at Mando Garage.
According to him, “a loud sound from the location triggered concern and speculation of a possible explosion,” prompting the immediate deployment of detectives to the scene.
Preliminary investigations, he said, revealed that the explosion involved a liquefied natural gas-powered bus, which suffered a minor blast due to overfilling of its gas tank.
Police authorities confirmed that the affected vehicles were evacuated and the area secured, adding that no casualties or significant property damage were recorded.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Muhammad Rabiu, has ordered a full investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident and prevent a recurrence.
The Police Bomb Disposal Unit was also deployed as a precaution, while the command urged residents to verify information before sharing, warning that unconfirmed reports—especially on security matters—could trigger unnecessary panic.
Normal activities have since resumed at the motor park, located near the Nigerian Air Force base in the state.
