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At least 30 killed in Nigeria pipeline fire
WARRI, Nigeria, Oct 13, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – At least 30 people were killed
when a petrol pipeline caught fire and exploded in southeast Nigeria after a
raid by suspected oil thieves, a survivor and officials said on Saturday.
The incident happened in the town of Aba on Friday when vandals burst the
pipeline operated by the state-run Pipeline and Product Marketing Company.
“The incident occurred at about 1:30 am. Those burnt are more than 30 with
many others sustaining injuries,” said Nnamdi Tochukwu, a survivor on his
hospital bed in nearby Asaba.
A security officer, who did not want to be identified, confirmed the death
toll.
“Over 30 bodies were burnt at the scene before the arrival of security
operatives while many others are currently receiving medical attention at
various hospitals within and outside the town,” the officer said.
The spokesman for Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the
victims were vandals attempting to scoop petrol from the pipeline.
“I can’t give the exact number of casualties for now, but the explosion
was caused as a result of oil thieves who had hacked the line to intercept
the flow of petrol from the Port Harcourt refinery to Aba,” Ndu Ughamadu told
AFP.
He said an investigation was under way.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer and exporter, runs a network of
pipelines that transport crude and petrol across the vast nation.
Hundreds of lives have been lost in recent years due to oil vandals
bursting pipelines to steal petrol, sometime resulting in explosions.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1437 hrs