Incident Report

Subject:           NIGERIA, Oil Barge Explodes in Flames, 5 Feared Dead Scores Injured in Lagos

Date of Email report:  Thu 10/01/2013

Report Detail:

      
At least five people were feared dead and many injured in the late hours of the morning yesterday, as an oil barge offloading products at the MRS Jetty located at the Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos exploded in flames.

The high degree explosion, which happened at about 11.30am, shattered glass doors and windows of buildings as far as 500 metres away from the jetty, including the administrative building of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ports and Cargo complex and a branch of First Bank situated over 500 metres away from the scene.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred after a barge, a small ship bringing in fuel from the mothership and offloading into the MRS tank farm was improperly handled. The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) confirmed the barge was bearing petroleum motor spirit (PMS) commonly known as petrol. When LEADERSHIP visited the MRS complex at 12.30pm, business activities at the port had come to a halt, with people settling in small groups and discussing the incident, which was said to have caused stampede at the port. Officials of MRS were not available for comment and the place was filled with security operatives who barred newsmen from entering the facility.

Our correspondent however sighted officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), fire-fighting vehicles belonging to neighbouring Integrated Oil Services and the Lagos State Fire Service, which came in at 1.26pm. An eyewitness said he saw at least five lifeless bodies wrapped in white cloths and taken away to an unknown morgue before he was asked to leave the premises.

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