Ruth Semilore
At least five persons were injured on Friday following an explosion at the cooking gas section of the Nobpet fuelling station, opposite the Air Force junction in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The fire, which gutted the entire gas section, also spread to destroy over eight vehicles parked near the neighbouring Ebonyi State Transport Corporation office.
Eyewitnesses said it took a joint effort by the Rivers State Fire Service and the Nigerian Air Force Fire Service to bring the blaze under control.
The blaze at Nobpet fuelling station, opposite Air Force junction, Port Harcourt.
One of the victims, Emmanuel Ninyaegwu, a commercial driver whose 18-seater bus was destroyed in the fire, also sustained an injury to his ear.
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He told newsmen that he and his pregnant wife narrowly escaped the blast.
“I was getting ready to load my vehicle (from Port Harcourt to Ebonyi State). This is where we stay. As I was opening my car boot, I heard the sound of fire.
“I fell down, got up, and ran just before it blew. It damaged my vehicle. Some people got injured, including me. Nobody died,” Ninyaegwu said.
He added,
“Some people who got injured have been taken to the hospital. There was an ambulance that came in from the Air Force. They treated some people, but they took some to the hospital.
“Fire Service came; when they came, their water got finished, so help came from the Air Force, and that was when they put out the fire. Before the fire service came, the people around tried to put out the fire, but they couldn’t because it was too much and everyone was running for their lives.”
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Another victim, Anthony Ofoke, the supervisor of Ebonyi State Transport Corporation in Rivers State, said two of his vehicles were destroyed in what he described as a devastating event.
“It was a very big calamity and an unexpected thing that just happened. I have never experienced such. After loading three vehicles, by the time I came back from the office, I heard the sound of the explosion.
“I didn’t know what to do, but to run for my life. Before I could realise myself, look at where I got injured (my leg). My vehicles were affected: one of my buses and a Sienna. As I speak, I am still shaken from the incident. The fire service people dressed the injury for me,” he said.
Aftermath of the explosion that injured at least five people at Air Force junction, Port Harcourt.
Ofoke appealed to the government to prevent fuelling stations from being established near residential areas.
“My appeal is that if the government can stop them from building fuelling stations close to where people are living before it happens next time,” Ofoke pleaded.
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Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the incident.
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In a message sent to our correspondent, the command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, noted that an investigation is ongoing.
In a terse statement, she said,
“I’m aware of a fire outbreak at the filling station. Investigation is ongoing.”
