The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA has said two people have been confirmed dead and 30 vehicles burnt in the Ijegun, Lagos pipeline explosion.
The spokesperson for the agency said the total loss would be determined at the end of the ongoing firefighting operation.
He noted that the explosion occurred when security agencies intercepted the vandals in the act.
He said, “On arrival of the LRT at the scene of the incident, it was gathered that some vandals were engaged in illegal bunkering activities at Fire Junction, Ijegun, within the vicinity where NNPC pipelines were buried.
“The vandals had already siphoned petrol into a 33,000 liters tanker while a second tanker of the same capacity was being loaded when security agencies suddenly intercepted them.
“While trying to escape, some of the siphoned fuel spilled into the drainage and the vandals were alleged to have set the spilled fuel on the fire in a bid to deter the security agencies from apprehending them.
“The fire eventually returned to the pipeline point where the vandals siphoned the fuel and exploded with escalating fire which led to two fatalities and over 30 vehicles burnt.
According to the spokesperson, the actual loss will be determined upon conducting post-disaster enumeration after the fire has been put out.”
