5 killed as pipeline fire razes homes, vehicles in Lagos

 
Tragedy struck late Sunday night when yet to be identified under aged girl, her mother and three men were burnt to death following raging fire from a vandalized petroleum pipeline of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, at Ile-Epo, Ekoro, Abule -Egba, Oke Odo Local Government Area, inward Baruwa, Alimosho area of Lagos State. About 150 residents were displaced, as 39 vehicles and 30 buildings were affected by the inferno. However, the
from the inferno by men of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, in collaboration with other response teams. Preliminary investigation by Vanguard revealed that the inferno was as a result of pipeline vandals who busted one of the oil pipelines in the area to siphon the petrol when the fire occurred, leading to the destruction of 11 trucks, laden with 40 feet containers.
According to an eyewitness, the vandalized pipeline had been gushing petroleum product earlier in the noon before it later exploded into inferno much later. Director-General, LASEMA, who confirmed the incident, added that the swift response of LASEMA and other First Responders mobilized to the incident site made it possible to put out the fire quickly and successfully, thereby, curtailing it from spreading to other adjoining buildings. “The quick success aside being attributed to adequate training of personnel, quick response time and acquisition of proper equipment by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration, was also due to the outcome of inter-agency collaboration which made the operation and recovery process fast and smooth,” Oke-Osanyintolu stated. He continued: “As at the moment, 8 am, (Monday), we can confirm that after several hours of intense fire fighting by the combined teams of Lagos Fire and other agencies, the inferno has been completely put out with details revealing that the valve where the vandalised petroleum products emanated from had been stopped cutting off supply totally from source at the NNPC Station  5 killed as pipeline fire razes homes, vehicles in Lagos.
“We received distress call by 8.30 pm and by 9 pm we have curtailed it and by 11.30 pm we have put it out. Having contained the area at 11.30 pm, we have commenced an enumeration of the vehicles and properties that were involved this morning. “We, therefore, appeal to all residents to remain calm and to report suspicious activities to curtail the instances of these unfortunate incidents. In line with Mr Governor’s greater Lagos agenda, the government will do its part, while the citizens need to do their own part. “This collaborative by the NNPC eased the entire recovery process in no small measure, as the supply of the highly inflammable fluid was cut off at source which contributed immensely to curtailing the resultant fire from acts of the pipeline vandals,” LASEMA boss stated. Victims count losses When Vanguard visited affected sites on Monday, at Joel Nnadede Street, off Igoke Estate, Oke Odo, Local Government Area, residents were seen in their large numbers lamenting the losses and mourning the dead. One of the affected victims whose building was destroyed, Miss Taiwo Odugbesan, narrated her ordeal thus, Sunday, January 19th, 2020., after returning from Church service around 5 pm, and when I was just settling down, “I started hearing loud voices outside shouting and cautioning residents not to turn on a gas cooker or any form of naked light. I was wondering what could be wrong. At that point, I rushed out to see what’s going on. That was the end I saw of my property intact. The next thing that happened was fire everywhere. I could not salvage anything from the house. “I’m an orphan, no husband. I fend alone for myself. The only property my parents left for me all gone in the inferno. I don’t have anything again but I know I have God. Everything I have worked for in my life all gone. My brother’s landed property document all burnt. The government should please assist us. This building is far from the pipeline axis. “We have been complaining to the authorities about the illegal activities of vandals who come to burst pipelines and scoop fuel. Surprisingly, the authorities have refused to take positive action. Maybe, now that the worst has happened again the government will come to our aid and address the issue permanently. The government should come to our aid because I’m finished.” Also, a victim who simply identified himself as Prince John narrated thus, “I’m the Community Development Association, CDA, Chairman of the area. I got a call yesterday at about 7.pm because I was not in the house that the pipeline has been bursted again. This has been happening since 2006 in Abule Egba. “We have written a series of petitions to the management of NNPC in Abuja, Mosimi, Ogun State and Ejigbo, Lagos, all to no avail. “We petitioned the then Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Commandant state Civil Defence but no concrete response. “Even there was a time we called for the deployment of security personnel. The state Commandant Civil Defence approved the deployment of 24 soldiers to monitor the NNPC pipeline. “Surprisingly, the latest tragedy went beyond us. I was rushing down to the house to ensure the safety of my family. But unfortunately, before I got to the house it has already been consumed by fire. I thank God, through His grace my wife had already evacuated my children to a safe place if not they would have been consumed as well. “There is a canal that flows through the frontage of my house. The fire spread through the canal which was flowing with fuel spillage. “Now, all my valuables, documents, certificates all gone. I’m using this medium to appeal to relevant authorities, governments to come to our rescue as we have lost our life’s savings in the avoidable tragedy. We are appealing to governments to have compassion on us.” Also recounting his experience to Vanguard, one of the victims who were occupants of a room and parlour apartment of a bungalow building at No 4, Ahmed Sodiq Street said at about 8.30 pm, his wife went to a neighbouring street for debt collection, their 13 and six years old sons were in their apartment while the father was resting within the premises. However, at about 9 pm, an unusual sound and smoke rent the air and all he could do was to rush inside and picked his sons while their mother met them at the entrance of the building and all ran for safety. He said, “As at that time, so many people were scampering for safety and we joined them. We thereafter trekked about 30 metres before realising what was happening,” He said his family had to pass the night with a relative and by the time they returned home the following day, the entire building had been razed. “My wife lost N80, 000 cash to the inferno and if we are to estimate our property, it is worth N2.5m. The cloth I am wearing was donated by a sympathiser,” A survivor, Isiyemi Abimbola who spoke with our reporter at the scene said the incident was avoidable if the government had done the needful. She said, “I perceived the smell of petroleum and sensed danger, so I joined other residents to run for safety. Fortunately, my house was not affected but my neighbours’ buildings were razed. Some lives and properties were lost and this wouldn’t have occurred if the government had done the needful.
“This is not the first time such a thing will happen in Abule-Egba and its environs, one of my neighbours died searching for her child. A similar incident occurred last year; we need functional fire services for emergencies such as this,” “When the firefighters came initially, they said there was no water, their response was very slow, and they came more than an hour after the incident.
SOURCE: VANGUARD NEWS