*Firefighters battle to gain access
19 December 2012, Sweetcrude, Lagos – A petroleum products pipeline explosion occurred Monday night occurred at Ijeododo in the Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, following the activities of suspected pipeline vandals.
The fire, which caused some residents of the area to flee their homes, continued to rage early Tuesday.
It was gathered that immediately after the explosion, the vandals escaped from the scene through the 7th Avenue canal, FESTAC town, Amuwo Odofin Local Government , leaving behind no fewer than 33, 000 litres of fuel already scooped from the pipeline which runs through the community.
The vandal also left behind a Honda Saloon car with registration number TB 645 AAA, found at the scene of the explosion.
Some of the things damaged by the explosion include: Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, facilities, farmlands and others.
Although fire fighters arrived the site four hours after the explosion, which was said to have ignited a fire which began at about 8:00 p.m. on Monday, they could not immediately access the area.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, the spokesman, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, whose men also came to the scene, said they contacted the fire service as soon as they got news on the fire.
“We also contacted officials of NNPC who immediately blocked all the outlets, which is why the fire is subsiding,” he said.
He also said that a special bridge would be erected immediately to allow the officials get to the spot of the vandalised pipes.
Also. the Lagos State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC, Obafaiye Shem, confirmed that there was no casualty involved in the explosion, saying “the vandals’ immediately they discovered that the pipeline cut fire, they escaped through the water.”
