By Dayo Omoogun
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has promptly mobilized its relevant emergency management personnel to the scene of the conflagration
which engulfed a section of the Abule-Adu area of Lagos State on Sunday in order to put out the fire within the shortest possible time with a view to minimize loss of lives, losses to the corporation, to the community and the nation in general.
According to a release made available to Sharpedgenews.com signed by the new Group General Manager (Public Affairs) Dr. Kennie Obateru, “following the report of the explosion, the corporation quickly halted ongoing pumping operations on the Atlas Cove-Mosimi pipeline which was active at the time.”
“The NNPC had already mobilized its in-house combined team consisting of Health Safety Environment experts, Medical and Security personnel from its nearby Satellite Depot in Lagos, even as Lagos State Fire Service was also rallied to extinguish the fire.”
The release said more fire firefighting personnel and equipment were mobillised from the NNPC Mosimi Area Office to provide extra fillip to the ongoing operation.
The Corporation explained that the fire “was as a result of gas explosion which occurred after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant located near the corporation’s system 2B Pipeline Right of Way”, adding that “preliminary findings indicated that the impact of the explosion was so huge that it led to the collapse of nearby houses and damage to NNPC pipeline on which efforts are being made to curtail the resultant fire.
While appealing for calm, Obateru assured that the temporary shutdown of the pumping operations will not provoke scarcity of petroleum products.
In a prompt response, the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Mele Kolo Kyari commiserated with the victims and followed up with a visit to the scene for an on the spot assessment, alongside other top management staff.