4 killed as explosion rocks NNPC Lagos depot

Four people are reportedly dead after an explosion at the Petroleum Wharf, Apapa, Lagos.

Highlights:The explosion occurred when some hoodlums attacked a vessel, identified as Histria Ivory, discharging Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to scoop fuel spilling from the vessel around 3 am.

• An eyewitness said, “The fire incident started around 3 am at the Petroleum Wharf, Apapa, which is one of the three jetties in Apapa. It lasted for about one hour. The people who were scooping fuel were trying to open one of the manifolds through which the depots receive fuel from vessels when the fire occurred. Four people died in the process.”
• The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, said, “A vessel was discharging fuel and the manifold caught fire, which led to an explosion. The jetty in-house fire unit responded first before calls were made to other fire agencies. We all battled the fire and put it out.” – He did not confirm if there was any casualty.

A statement signed by the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ndu Ughamadu reads:

The NNPC has deployed a team of engineers in the jetty, while the repair of the affected parts will commence immediately.

The fire was caused by the activities of hoodlums who were scooping fuel spilt from ships discharging fuel at the jetty.

NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, who has been fully briefed on the incident, described the occurrence as unfortunate, assuring the public that the NNPC has more than 1.6bn litres of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise called petrol, enough to last for 48 days.