The explosion, which happened on Sunday night has left many trucks, houses burnt and some persons have been confirmed dead in a pipeline explosion at Eroko road, Abule Egba area, Lagos.
Early reports also said the fire broke out at Ile-Epo Bus Stop along Abeokuta Expressway, spreading instantly to nearby Abule Egba before another explosion was heard in Fagba and Ekoro Road, all densely populated suburbs north of Lagos but several kilometres apart.
Nosa Okunbor, the spokesperson for LASEMA, said “two adult males and an infant lost their lives while 11 trucks laden with 40feet containers were destroyed and seven buildings razed down by the inferno.”
“Though preliminary report on the Ilepo fire outbreak had it that it was a pipeline fire which cause could not be ascertained, however, Situational Report from further investigations later revealed that the inferno was as a result of pipeline vandalism,” he explained.
Mr Okunbor added that the swift response of fire fighters, first responders and LASEMA team led to the explosion being successfully curtailed.
“The inferno has been completely put off with details revealing that the valve where the vandalized petroleum products emanated from, had been cut off totally from source at the NNPC Station.”
The agency said the collaboration by the NNPC eased the entire recovery process in no small measure, as supply of the highly inflammable fluid was cut off at source contributed immensely to curtailing the resultant fire.
LASEMA said no injuries were recorded by the res-ponders during the operation, while the commodities recovered have been evacuated.
