A devastating fire outbreak, suspected to have been triggered by illegally refined petroleum products, has killed four people in Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Sources in the community told newsmen that the fire started when a woman cooking noodles near a room used to store illegal crude products accidentally caused an explosion.
According to eyewitnesses, three residents of the building and another woman — who had come to purchase condensate — lost their lives in the inferno that erupted on Saturday.
Confirming the incident, Rivers State Police Command spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, stated that the victims, including the woman preparing the noodles, were burnt beyond recognition. She added that investigations into the incident are currently underway.
SP Iringe-Koko said: “A resident brought a stove to the building and was cooking noodles when a fire broke out. Unfortunately, she and three other women, including a customer who came to buy condensate, lost their lives.”
Meanwhile, environmental advocate and Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene, condemned the tragic event. He warned against pipeline vandalism and the illegal refining of crude oil.
In a statement made available to journalists, Dumnamene called on the Federal Government to legalize modular refineries in the Niger Delta to curb these dangerous practices.
He further alleged that the house was often used to buy, store, and resell illegally refined petroleum products such as condensate to members of the public.
“The fire occurred in a building where illegal petroleum products were being stored for resale,” Dumnamene said. “We urge authorities to carry out a thorough investigation and we warn the public, especially youths, against engaging in crude oil theft, artisanal refining, and home storage of petroleum products to prevent future tragedies.”
