Ijegun pipeline fire put out after 17 hours, says NEMA

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that the Ijegun pipeline fire has been successfully quenched with the assistance of specially-trained safety firemen after 17 hours of tedious services.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, South-West Coordinator of NEMA, gave the confirmation to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on phone on Thursday.

NAN reports that the pipeline explosion occurred at Ijegun in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State in the early hours of Thursday, with two unidentified bodies as well as many vehicles and shops burnt in a raging fire.

Farinloye, said that the fire was subsided with support from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as the Lagos State and Federal Fire Services.

According to him, we had sent the details that two died and taken to the mortuary, 12 injured, four were rescued and taken to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

He noted that eight persons with minor burns were taken to Gbagada Hospital.

He, however, mentioned that 31 vehicles were burnt by the fire.

“Officials of the NNPC Fire Safety Unit are still at the scene with other State and Federal Fire Services officials to ensure the inferno is put off totally.

“As we speak, the fire has been contained and not posing any threat to life or property,’’ Farinloye said.

According to him, it is the responsibility of every Nigerian to prevent criminality.

“If the people had played their civic responsibility of informing any arm of government about the nefarious activities of vandals in their areas, the incident wouldn’t have happened.

“We implore everyone to inform any government agency or personnel of any criminal activity,’’ Farinloye said.