Massive explosion at oil refinery in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria

 This was as scores of others were said to have suffered severe degree of burnt during the fire incident, which occurred when oil pipeline vandals were siphoning oil from pipelines belonging to NNPC at the jetty, near Okrika, in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Chairman of the local government area, Tamunu Williams, who confirmed the incident, said “the fire incident is as a result of oil thieves, who were siphoning oil from NNPC pipelines.

He appealed to the management of NNPC to provide adequate protection and security for their pipelines and equipment so as not to endanger the lives of the people of the community.

Reacting, the NNPC Executive Director (Services), Mr Ralph Ugwu, while admitting that there was, indeed, a fire incident, said nemesis caught up with the pipeline vandals, as their boat exploded and caught up in fire.

“The incident has no impact on our operations whatsoever and, on our own side as NNPC, there is no casualty and the incident has no impact on our refining operations or on our jetty operations,” he said.

Ugwu said there were, indeed, some casualties but he could not ascertain the exact number, stressing that none of the victims was on the staff of the corporation.

The state police command confirmed the fire explosion, attributing it to activities of oil pipeline vandals, even as it was disclosed that those who were burnt had be taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.
Also, Mr Umesi Emenike, the South-South zonal coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA),  confirmed the fire incident.

Emenike told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Sunday that  the fire did not affect the main refinery before it was put out by  fire service officers.

He said NEMA officials were still assessing the situation to ascertain whether there was  loss of  life and property.