The Police Command in Rivers has confirmed that 12 persons died in the early Friday morning explosion in Rumuekpe community of Emoha Local Government Area of the state.
The Spokesperson for the command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said in a statement in Port Harcourt that preliminary investigation indicated that the victims were scooping crude product when the site caught fire.
The explosion occurred as a bus loaded with some siphoned crude went up in flames, as it was leaving the spot for an illegal refinery in the area.