The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Sunday said that the reported explosion which rocked Abule Ado Area of Lagos State in the early hours of the day was as a result of gas explosion which occurred after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant located near the corporation’s system 2B Pipeline Right of Way.
In a statement by NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, the corporation explained that preliminary findings indicated that the impact of the explosion was so huge that it led to the collapse of nearby houses and damage to NNPC pipeline on which efforts are being made to curtail the resultant fire.
The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, and other top Management of the corporation departed to Lagos this evening for an on-the-spot assessment at the scene of the incident.
Obateru stated that following the report of the explosion, the corporation quickly halted ongoing pumping operations on the Atlas Cove-Mosimi pipeline which was active at the time.
The statement explained that NNPC had already mobilised its in-house combined team consisting of Health Safety Environment experts, Medical and Security personnel from its nearby Satellite Depot in Lagos, even as Lagos State Fire Service was also rallied to extinguish the fire.
The statement said more fire firefighting personnel and equipment were mobillised from the NNPC Mosimi Area Office to provide extra fillip to the ongoing operation.
While assuring members of the public and residents of the affected communities to remain calm, the NNPC’s spokesman assured that the temporary shutdown of the petroleum products pipeline would not affect the normal supply of products to the Lagos and its environs.
He said the fire, currently burning at controlled condition, was being fought headlong, saying a detail assessment of the incident was underway to establish the extent of damage to the pipeline.
The NNPC Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, commiserated with the victims of the incident, praying that “God provides them succour at this hour”.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says 15 corpses, including a family of four, have been recovered from the scene of Sunday’s explosion which occurred at Abule Ado, Trade Fair axis of Lagos State.
No fewer than 60 students of Bethlehem Girls College located within the area who sustained various degrees of injuries in the incident were also taken to the Nigerian Navy Hospital in Ojo Cantonment.
Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Acting Coordinator of NEMA in Lagos, said that the couple and their two sons were caught by the explosion on their way to church around about 9a.m. on Sunday.
Farinloye said over 50 buildings, including Bethlehem Girls College and a popular hotel, were damaged in the explosion.
He said: “The resulting fire later spread to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) oil pipeline passing through the area even though the pipeline has been shut down as a precautionary measure.
“The fire was eventually extinguished about 3.30p.m. through the combined efforts of officials of the Lagos State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service and Nigerian Navy Fire Tender.”
Also, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, Staff Officer, Western Naval Command, told newsmen that the students were stabilised at the Navy Hospital, adding that those who have fully recovered would be discharged soon.
Daji said some residents of the area told security operatives that there was a large number of industrial gas cylinders close to where the explosion occurred.
He said the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with other security agencies had began clearing the pipeline right of way across Lagos State, adding that the government should revoke the Certificate of Occupancy of houses sited very close to pipelines.
On his part, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osayintolu, Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said the government would carry out a thorough investigation to unravel the cause of the explosion.
“Our advice to people is that there is no need to panic. We are on top of the situation and the fire has been put out through collaboration by the various agencies.
“We can neither smell gas nor petrol, we can’t really say this is what led to the fire.
“We are still waiting for the outcome of the result to know the cause of the fire outbreak,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
One of the victims of the incident, Mr Abayomi Abeyi, said his building was severely damaged while his wife sustained injuries from the explosion.
Abeyi, who is the Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mile 2, Amuwo Odofin Branch, appealed to the Lagos State Government to come to the aid of the victims of the unfortunate incident.
