Yemisi Izuora
The Baruwa community in Lagos which has frequently experience pipeline vandalisation was Thursday devastated by explosion of a petrol pipeline fire.
It was not immediately determined the actual cause of the pipeline fire, but Baale of Baruwa community Alhaji Khalil Baruwa linked it to activities of miscreants who indulge in illegal scooping of petrol and in an attempt to steal product resulted to the fire incident.
Alhaji Baruwa said he quickly alerted authorities when he noticed the movement and relevant government agencies responded when he reported the fire.
“I am just coming from the local government council, the fire started early this morning, (Thursday) but as I speak with you the fire has been put off”, he said on phone.
Confirming the incident also Mr. Agono Godwin the public relations officer of the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, PPMC a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said though he could not say exactly what led to the fire but they received emergency call about the incident and quickly deployed their personnel whom he said were yet to return to base and put their reports together.
“I can confirm we received a call to that effect and we responded but as at now I cannot confirm if there are casualties or determine the extent of damage, however in any case we are responding accordingly”, he said.