Two men, over 20 vehicles, houses and property worth millions of Naira were on Thursday, burnt at Ijegun, in the Igando/Ikotun Local Council Development Area of Lagos, following an early morning pipeline explosion in the Lagos suburb.
Despite the efforts of fire fighters who responded promptly, the fire, which started about 1.20 a.m. raged for over eight hours.
A similar inferno happened in April, 2008 where several school children, men, women, houses and property worth millions of naira were lost.
According to dependable sources close to the area, the pipeline exploded as soon as some vandals tried to escape with a tanker which they used for the theft of petroleum products from the petroleum products pipeline.
Residents living several kilometres away from the fire point at the Isheri community and Kudeyibu Estate scampered from their homes in panic as the flames escalated and spread close to a gas station in the area.
Security personnel from various agencies collaborated to control the large crowd that fled from their homes to escape from the unfortunate incident.
The traditional ruler of Ijegun, Oba Nureni Akinremi, said that despite several efforts to orientate some miscreants in the community against pipeline vandalism, some have failed to become law abiding.
“I have made several efforts to speak with my people through my chiefs and community leaders, yet, some people have remained adamant.
“We really need to keep the security agents on regular surveillance in this area because it was the same area that was affected in a similar incident some 11 years ago,’’ he said.
The fire affected parts of the Ijegun Community Primary and High School, the Catholic Church fence, and several other buildings.
Firemen from the Lagos State Fire Service arrived early about 4 a.m. and had reinforcements from other stations in the metropolis, as well as emergency personnel from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
Ijegun pipeline explosion: Baru blames it on vandals, orders immediate repairs.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has directed its team of engineers to immediately investigate and commence repairs of Thursday’s pipeline explosion.
Mr Ndu Ughamadu, the Group General Manager, Public Affairs of NNPC said on telephone in Abuja that the explosion was caused by vandals and the Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, has directed the corporation’s team of engineers to resume at the fire scene and redress the situation.
According to Ughamadu, “The fire was ignited when some vandals were scooping fuel from the pipeline.
“We urge everybody within the community to remain calm as the situation is under control. Our team of engineers has resumed at the site to bring the situation under control.
Similarly, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said that the pipeline incident which occurred in the early hours of Thursday at Ijegun, in Lagos was caused by vandals.
Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, South-West Coordinator of NEMA said on telephone that NEMA alerted the management of the NNPC on the early morning incident and fire outbreak.
Farinloye said that NEMA also called on the Safety Unit of the NNPC to immediately shut down further supplies through the pipeline, in order to suffocate the fire.
“It is noted that vandals are responsible for the incident and some of them were burnt to death in the inferno.
“Security agencies have also condoned off the area and residents of Ijegun have been urged to remain calm.
“Pipeline fire is a specialised aspect of fire management and not all firemen can handle it.
“The NNPC safety firemen are specially trained to handle such delicate incidents and that is why NEMA immediately mobilised the NNPC to mobilise to the scene.
“It will, however, take time before the inferno can be effectively tackled and supply to the pipeline is weakened and disabled,’’ he said.
Farinloye said: “In as much as the lives and property of the people are not threatened, the fire will be put off as soon as the safety of the fire officers is also assured’’.
