(CNN) -- An explosion rocked a parking lot at a crowded plaza in Nigeria's capital Wednesday afternoon, killing 21 people and injuring 17 others, a spokesman for Nigeria's relief agency said.
The blast at Emab Plaza in Abuja's Wuse II business district happened around 4 p.m. local time, said Ezekiel Manzo, spokesman for Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency.
The explosion destroyed 40 vehicles, he said.
(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/mosaic/bttn_close.gif) (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140624210626-erin-pkg-lah-kidnapped-captain-nigeria-00033117-story-body.jpg)Did ransom money go to Boko Haram? "There was an explosion at ever-busy Emab Plaza around 4 p.m. at the peak of business," he said. "We have succeeded in evacuating people from the area, and security personnel have taken control of the scene."
Ibrahim Abdullahi told CNN he was in a nearby office when he heard a "loud and terrifying sound."
"When I looked from the window of my office, I saw thick, black smoke enveloped the sky," Abdullahi said. "I could see the raging fire from the blast."
Olumide Sanya said the blast shook the nearby building that he was in.
"Windows, doors were shattered," he said.
Sanya said he had gone to the plaza for business earlier in the day, but he parked his car elsewhere because the parking lot was full.
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Source: CNN.com