It was a sad day, yesterday, for residents of Obio Akpor council of Rivers state, after fire outbreak gutted a section of a filling station located along Rumuokwurushi Junction of the metropolis.

The Guardian gathered that the inferno started from a gas pipe at the filling station before spreading to other sections of the station. An eyewitness disclosed that three water trucks were used to stop the pressure from the gas pipe, adding that there was no staff at the station to ask what actually happened. It was also gathered that some of the staff of the filling station were injured in the accident.

An ambulance van and three police vans were stationed at the junction while vehicular movement was halted to prevent casualties in case of an eventual explosion.  

It took the presence of security operatives to prevent looting of shops even as residents feared that there might be another fire outbreak if the gas tank is not emptied. 

One of the residents of the area, Onyema, said: “This fire can happen again because the gas is still leaking and smoke is coming out of the tank.”