4 reported dead as explosion rocks Petroleum Wharf

Four people have been reported dead after an

In a report by The Punch, the explosion occurred when some hoodlums besieged a vessel, identified as Histria Ivory, discharging Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to scoop fuel spilling from the vessel around 3am.

It was further reported that the inferno, which lasted over one hour could not be put out put out by the jetty's in-house fire unit, hence the call to officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, men of the Lagos State Fire Service, Federal Fire Service, Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Navy.

An eye witness reportedly said “The fire incident started around 3am 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.”

Confirming the explosion, the Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, said he could not tell if there was any casualty.

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He 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.”

A statement signed by the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ndu Ughamadu, confirmed the explosion while heaping the blame on hoodlums who interrupted the discharge of fuel.

He said, “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 spilled 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.”

The statement however did not confirm or deny any casualty or loss of life during the explosion.