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By Joel Anekwe
About 12 persons have been reported dead following the pipeline fire that occurred in Kom Kom community, Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers on Saturday morning.
The explosion reportedly happened at a pipeline site belonging to one of the multinational oil companies operating in the area.
Speaking on the incident, chairman of the local government area, Gerald Oforji, confirmed the incident adding that the dead bodies were discovered after the fire was brought under control.
The Rivers Police Command also confirmed an explosion at a Shell pipeline in Kom Kom Community in Oyibo local government area on Saturday.
Speaking to our correspondent via the telephone, public relations officer (PPRO) of the command Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed that the incident happened when a team of engineers were carrying out maintenance on the pipeline.
Omoni said: “I can confirm the incident at Oyigbo where in the course of carrying out their routine maintenance, the Shell pipeline got a fire incident and some persons who went to scoop spilled product were caught in the fire”.
He also confirmed that there were casualties but could not confirm the number of persons. “The number of casualties is yet to be ascertained,” the PPRO stated, adding that “however they were able to bring the situation under control by putting out the fire.”
He stressed; “The fire has been put out and we heard that some persons died in the process but the figure is what I cannot tell you for now until we have been able to get more facts.”
The Oyigbo local government area chairman clarified that the fire did not affect any building in the area.
He said: “After we spent time there waiting for the fire to calm down so that we can penetrate for further confirmation. When the fire came down we discovered that there were casualties about the number of 10 to 12 person.”
The story of the explosion was first broken in the social media where it was claimed that the explosion was caused by illegal oil bunkering activities and that 40 persons died in the ensuing fire.
Oforji added: “As I speak now I can confirm that there was loss of lives, but for property, no, because it happened inside a swamp. The casualties were persons that went to scoop spilled product. They were so unlucky.”
The PPRO also ruled out oil bunkering or sabotage. “No illegal oil bunkering, sabotage, all of that are ruled out. Shell engineers were there to carry out routine maintenance of the oil pipeline when the fire started.”
In his reaction when contact, spokesman of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Bamidele Odugbesan told our correspondent to check his facts well, that he understood the facility was not an SPDC facility.
But when told about the police report, he simply said “I cannot confirm that. But if I have any useful information I will call you back.”
