Five persons lost their lives when an explosion occurred at a residential home used to store illegal petroleum products in Rivers State on Saturday, April 26
The incident occurred on Saturday, April 26, at about 11 a.m. in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, sparking widespread fire.
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre ,YEAC-Nigeria, confirmed the explosion and fire, stating it happened at a house used for storing and reselling illegally refined petroleum products, including condensate.
Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, said the explosion led to the death of five persons — four females and one male — who were burnt beyond recognition.
He called for a thorough investigation into the incident and cautioned youths against engaging in crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, artisanal refining, and illegal trading of petroleum products.
He also urged the federal government to implement the July 2020, proposal for the Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative or establish modular refineries for artisanal refiners in the Niger Delta to curb such tragic occurrences.
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In a reaction, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the explosion, explaining that it was triggered by a condensate kerosene product stored in the house.
She disclosed that the fire started when someone lit a stove to cook noodles near the stored products, leading to the deadly inferno.
Iringe-Koko stated that four persons were confirmed dead at the scene while the police have commenced an investigation into the matter to ascertain the full cause of the tragedy.
The YEAC-Nigeria reiterated the dangers associated with illegal petroleum activities and stressed the need for safer, regulated refining practices to prevent further loss of lives and property in the Niger Delta region.
The explosion has once again highlighted the dangers of illegal petroleum trade in residential communities, posing severe risks to lives and the environment.
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