Fire broke out in the Ijegun area of Lagos State on Thursday after suspected hoodlums vandalised pipelines belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation.
Although the details of the incident are still sketchy, Punch gathered that some of the hoodlums were caught up in the explosion and were feared dead.
An eyewitness, Babajide Lawal, told Punch that the noise of the explosion woke the residents, adding that casualties have been recorded.
Lawal said, “There is fire incident at Ijegun Last Bus Stop, in fact, no one can move near the place because the whole area is burning. What woke us up was the sound of the explosion and when we came out to observe what happened, we saw the fire burning everywhere.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency has said two people have been confirmed dead and 30 vehicles burnt in the explosion.
The spokesperson for the agency said the total loss would be determined at the end of the ongoing firefighting operation.
He noted that the explosion occurred when security agencies intercepted the vandals in the act.
He said, “On arrival of the LRT at the scene of the incident, it was gathered that some vandals were engaged in illegal bunkering activities at Fire Junction, Ijegun, within the vicinity where NNPC pipelines were buried.
“The vandals had already siphoned petrol into a 33,000 litres tanker while a second tanker of the same capacity was being loaded when security agencies suddenly intercepted them.
“While trying to escape, some of the siphoned fuel spilled into the drainage and the vandals were alleged to have set the spilled fuel on fire in a bid to deter the security agencies from apprehending them.
“The fire eventually returned to the pipeline point where the vandals siphoned the fuel and exploded with escalating fire which led to two fatalities and over 30 vehicles burnt.
“The actual loss will be determined upon conducting post disaster enumeration after the fire has been put out.”
He noted that responders at the scene included men of the Lagos State Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the police