Revealed: How Diesel Caused Fire Outbreak At The NNPC Mega Station, Ogba

By Akinwale Kasali

There was pandemonium Monday afternoon at College Road, Off Yaya Abatan Road, Ogba  as people scampered for safety, following the fire outbreak at the NNPC filling Station facility on the road.

The fire affected houses close to the filling station, razing them down.

It took the swift response and intervention of officials of the Lagos State Fire Service to put off the fire after several hours of battle.

According to the Lagos State Fire Service, the fire incident was caused by the discharge of diesel into the underground storage facility from a 45,000 fully laden tanker belonging to Lado Oil.

The situation report from the Acting Head, Lagos State Fire Service, Margaret Adeseye, said  that the agency was able to put out the fire with the help of Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency(LASEMA), MAN Fire Department and Nigerian Storage Petroleum Marketing Company Fire Department of NNPC.

The statement read: “After a free-fire-related emergency weekend which witnessed no incident, came an alert to Yaya Abatan, College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos at about 1252hrs, Monday, April 27, 2020.

“The Acting Head of the Lagos State Fire Service  swiftly mobilized Alausa, Ikeja, Agege and Isolo Fire Stations to the scene of emergency which set the internet agog.

“On arrival, it was discovered that it was a fire involving NNPC Petroleum Filling Station which went on flame from an incident of being restocked.

“The challenges encountered in managing the helpful but wild crowd took time for the fire to effectively be managed. However, the filling station was salvaged from being completely burnt as only one dispensing machine was severely burnt while another was partially affected.

“Also, a section of the one storey mart was severely destroyed by Fire as well as the adjoining car mart with about eight vehicles burnt to ashes.

“The preliminary investigation into the cause of incident revealed the Fire emanated from the discharging of diesel into the filling station underground storage facility from a 45,000 fully laden tanker belonging to Lado Oil.

“It is suffix to note that the incident management was supervised by the Honourable Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Engr. Tayo Bamgbose-Martins.

“Other respondents include Federal Fire Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency(LASEMA), MAN Fire Department and Nigerian Storage Petroleum Marketing Company Fire Department of NNPC.

“The Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corp, team of Policemen and Nigeria Civil Defence Corps were on ground to manage the crowd.”