By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Tragedy occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, December 19, 2018, in the heavily populated Abule Egba, area of Lagos State when a spillage from a fuel tanker that was siphoning petrol from a vandalized pipeline
suddenly burst into inferno, razing several houses and vehicles in the process.
Fortunately, there was no life loss, according to Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, who responded promptly to the distress call.
The latest incident apart from no life loss, is reminiscent of the Abule Egba pipeline explosion on 26 December 2006, killing hundreds of people.
This morning inferno, it was gathered that residents were scooping fuel from the spillage and in the process there was a spark which resulted into inferno, consuming everything along it’s path.
However, another version of the report had it that the fire resulted from the activities of bunkerers who were scooping fuel from a vandalised petroleum pipeline in the area.
Eyewitness narrated that the timely response of emergency officials prevented the fire from spreading to a petrol filling station close to the scene of the incident.
Other rescue team that responded swiftly include: Men of the Lagos State Fire Service, state Police Command, Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Lagos State Emergency Ambulance Service, LASEMBUS, among other responders.
On it’s Twitter handle, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, posted that the fire which started around 5am was brought under normalcy at about 8am and peace restored in the affected area.
Thetweet reads: “INFERNO UPDATE ALERT! Situation is now confirmed calm, normalcy restored. Our hearts are with the victims @ this trying time. Kudos to all emergency responders for swiftly responding to this unfortunate incident.”
General Manager of LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu, told Vanguard that no life was lost in the incident but some people sustained different degree of injuries and receiving first aid treatment.
At press time, emergency and rescue team we’re still at scene to fully ensure restoration of complete normalcy in the area while traffic managers were busy controlling the chaotic traffic jam in the area.
Recall that in 2006 Abule Egba pipeline explosion, there were originally believed to be around 500 deaths, but it was later confirmed that the loss was lesser.
The incident occurred after an elevated pipeline carrying petroleum products was punctured by thieves earlier at midnight (local time), attracting hundreds of scavengers in the district who collected the fuel using plastic containers, allegedly to siphon fuel into a tanker, before puddles of fallen fuel were ignited after dawn.
The cause of the explosion remains unknown, while witnesses have stated that the broken pipeline was tapped when the blast occurred.
Abule -Egba
The explosion occurred when suspected vandals broke an oil pipeline in the area, leading to spillage.
Numerous houses, cars and offices were destroyed by the explosion.
Pictures from the awori, abule egba and abattoir explosion pic.twitter.com/0aZwODw0wr
— Afara Seun (@seunafara) December 19, 2018
[7:40AM] @issaclomedia: Reach out to your loved ones Abule Egba.
There was a pipeline explosion there this morning pic.twitter.com/QMEHtOdV1A #TrafficChief
— #LagosTrafficReports (@TrafficChiefNG) December 19, 2018