RELIVING THE NIGHT OF THE GAS EXPLOSION AT MY HOUSE
As a little girl, when I visited my friends' house, I was always jealous they used gas and we didn’t. I would ask them a lot of questions like “how does it work?” or “I heard it doesn’t leave soot on the pot?” And they’ll be like so in this modern day age and trend, you don’t use gas? I’d be so ashamed of myself. I didn’t know and understand why my mum decided to live in stone age by sticking to the kerosene stove.
As I grew up, I started hearing stories of how my elder sister had burnt her hand. Neighbours said she poured kerosene on herself and burnt herself. I was like my elder sister?—?Chioma would never do such a thing, but one day I decided to ask her and she told me it was a gas incident that had occurred when she was a girl due to the maid’s carelessness.
I concluded that that may be the reason mom detested the idea of using gas. But most times I would approach mom and say “Mum, I heard gas saves money and time” she would grunt mostly, giving me a hint she was not interested in the topic.
Mom passed away about three years ago. A friend of ours gave us a surprise one night. You wouldn’t guess what it was?—?a gas cooker. It’s been years since we used one since its last indelible mark it left on my elder sister’s hand.
I was overjoyed but part of me felt guilt that mom was not going to be happy wherever she was. My sisters and I were so happy. The gifter drove us in his car with the gas. I remember that night; three of us- my elder sister Anita, our youngest?—?Victoria and myself were the people who relayed the good news.
We entered the house that night as we usually would and sat down (we had asked the man to wait outside with the gas) while we surprise them with the good news. When we broke the news, our eldest sister, Chioma was happy but not quite overjoyed, Gift-my elder sister was dancing, while my two little nephews Victor who was 5 and Great who was 3 were jumping around with gladness.
You should have seen all our faces lit with joy untold. No more kerosene stove!
The man offered to fix it, some of us declined, especially my elder sister saying the next morning would have been preferable. I was among those who insisted the gas was fixed immediately.
The man brought the cylinder and the Piezzo two-burner gas cooker inside the house and we were contemplating whether or not to leave the cylinder inside or outside the kitchen. He fixed all the fixables and turned the knob of the gas cooker, there was no flame. He tried again and again, still, no response. He told us that maybe the gas cylinder had been overfilled and needed to be released of air.
All this while, I was standing by the kitchen door, with the man inside the kitchen, my eldest sister stood at the passage overlooking the kitchen, Anita was carrying baby Great as I would fondly call him with her.
Being unable to stand the gaseous release (which we didn’t know it was at that time), I frustratedly went to sit in the living room watching my favourite Bollywood TV (Zee world) when I heard an explosion that was deafening.
I ran to the kitchen which was dark by now and was greeted with complete darkness. The door was ajar and I could hear people shouting and crying outside the house. I ran outside, with my heart thumping and beating! I was sore afraid somebody had died. I saw the man outside shouting and rolling on the sand “It’s burning me. It’s burning me”. I looked further and found my eldest sister crying and Anita was crying also. I asked them what was wrong when I saw their faces bloated. It struck me I had not seen somebody?—?my Baby Great. I looked around and found him by a tree crying and obviously shaken with fear. I carried him reassuring him he was safe all.
I decided to take him inside the house and when I attempted to he said in that babyish voice “I don’t want to enter that house” I started crying but still took him inside assuring him all was well. I took him to the living room which was the only place in the house still lit and he said “Take this thing off my face” and I was wondering take what off when I looked at the other side of his face and saw his skin poking out of his face. I started crying and decided to check all his body. To my horror, I discovered his face was not the only affected place but all of his body, his chest (where I held on to him) and his legs.
I could not hold back tears that now threatened the faith he had that he was fine. I finally gave in crying and reassuring him he was going to be fine. I carried him outside and called out to my sisters telling them the Baby was seriously injured.
Here came the tricky part! It was 12:00pm and we didn’t have a car to drive us down to the hospital. Neighbours were alerted and all four of them were driven to the hospital.
Great was a strong baby, he never cried unless when he was being bathed despite the pain, the man sustained a third degree burn and my two sisters were only burnt hands and feet.
I never left Great’s side during these tormenting weeks of pain and uncertainty of survival more so because he wouldn’t let me. I slept by his side till he got better. This fire incident had happened a day after Great’s birthday. We bought gifts for him on his birthdays among which was a piano he so desperately wanted to play with and been that he had opened a lot of toys, he was asked to wait till the next day which was the day of the fire incident.
One occurrence that really convinced me he was ready and willing to survive was that a week after the incident, he (whom I would normally carry around) told me he wanted to walk to the sitting room and I was wondering how he intended to do it with the wound on his legs and pain I could see he was obviously still feeling. I allowed him to walk to the parlour. Everyone started clapping to encourage him and did you know what he requested for when he sat down on his baby chair? His piano. It was given to him and to my utmost surprise this baby began singing and playing whatever keys his hands touched on the piano. Oh my God! I couldn’t believe this, an average child would be lying down on a bed, whinning and crying but this good brat was actually singing! Oh! Only if joy was measured, mine would be overweighted.
I watched water drop off from their skins and felt absolutely helpless. I took on the responsibility of the family’s business even as little as I was. My Aunt had saved the day as she left her family and came over to look after the three of them. Today, they are all doing fine. Thank God no lives were lost that day.
Truthfully, I felt guilty because I had wanted us to use gas, I had insisted the gas was fixed that night and I escaped the flames of the fire that night by chance.
Today Great is 5 and is kicking well, though when you look at this legs, you’re reminded of that night. The man has that night written all over his face and hands; my sisters have used natural remedies on their skins that one could barely notice any scars.
But what can I say, I’m grateful to God for sparing their lives and the house was not burnt. Only the ceiling of the kitchen was affected because it shifted from its position.
This is one story I would be proud to tell over and over again because victory was ours at last- Baby Great was truly great!
Just a crazy Nigerian Teen……….. who loves to write
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