27
Apr
Apr
EXPLOSION KILLS FIVE IN RIVERS STATE OVER ILLEGAL PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
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CapitalTimesNews / 1 week
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- 2 min read
At least five persons have been confirmed dead in an explosion that occurred at a residential home storing illegal petroleum products in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State. The incident happened on Saturday, April 26, at about 11 am, when a fire broke out in a house where people purchased and stored illegally refined petroleum products, including condensate, for resale. According to the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), four females and one male were burnt beyond recognition. Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, in a statement, called for an investigation into the incident and warned residents and youths against involvement in pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refineries, and trading in illegally refined petroleum products. The Rivers State police command confirmed the explosion, with the Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, stating that “it was a condensate kerosene product that was stored to be sold.” She added that “somebody brought a lighted stove close to the place where the product was stored to cook Indomie and that ignited the fire.” According to the police, four persons lost their lives in the incident. The police promised to investigate the matter. YEAC-Nigeria also renewed its call on the federal government to legalise artisanal refineries in the Niger Delta through the establishment of the proposed Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) and/or Modular Refineries for artisanal refiners.