The Lagos State Government have issued a statement concerning the pipeline explosion which resulted in a fire outbreak that claimed lives and properties in Ijegun, Ikotun.
According to the statement, the pipeline explosion was as a result of the activities of vandals.
The statement reads:
“A fire incident occurred along the NNPC pipeline at Ijegun on Thursday, 4th July, 2019 at 5 am. The LASEMA Response Team reported that the inferno was as a result of activities of pipeline vandals who were engaged in bunkering.
It was gathered that the vandals had already siphoned petrol into a 33,000litre tanker. And while a second tanker of the same capacity was being loaded, security agencies suddenly intercepted them.
Subsequently, while trying to escape from the security agencies, 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 prevent the security agencies from apprehending them.
Thereafter, the fire spread back to the point where the vandals had siphoned the fuel causing explosion which escalated the fire. The actual loss will be determined upon conducting post disaster enumeration after the fire has been put out.
Responders at the scene include:
LASG fire service men, NSCDC, NPF and the Agency’s officials”.