At least five persons sustained injuries on Friday following a fire outbreak caused by an explosion at the cooking gas section of the Nobpet Filling Station, located opposite the Air Force junction in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Witnesses reported that the explosion led to a rapid spread of fire, engulfing approximately eight vehicles parked nearby, many of which belonged to a transport company operating close to the filling station.
It took the combined intervention of the Rivers State Fire Service and the Nigerian Air Force Fire Service to bring the flames under control.
One of the victims, Emmanuel Ninyaegwu, a commercial driver, said he was preparing to load passengers alongside his pregnant wife when the explosion occurred.
“I was getting ready to load my vehicle from Port Harcourt to Ebonyi State, when the incident occurred.”
“As I was opening my car boot, I heard the sound and I fell down, got up, and ran away. It damaged my vehicle. Some people got injured, including me, but nobody died,” he said.
“Some people, who got injured, were taken to the hospital. There was an ambulance that came in from the Air Force. They treated some people,” he added.
Ninyaegwu also noted that the initial response by the state fire service was hampered by limited water supply.
“Fire Service came, when they came, their water got finished, so help came from the Air Force, that was when they put out the fire.”
“Before the fire service came, the people around tried to put out the fire, but they couldn’t because it was too much and everyone was running for their lives,” he recalled.
Another affected individual, Anthony Ofoke, described the incident as a devastating experience. He said two of his vehicles were destroyed by the blaze.
“It was a calamity and an unexpected thing that just happened, I have never experienced such. After loading three vehicles, by the time I came back from the office, I heard the sound of the explosion, it was a bomb,” Ofoke said.
“I didn’t know what to do, but to run for my life. Before I could realize myself, look at where I got injured. My vehicles were affected, one of my buses and a Sienna.”
“As I speak, I am still shaken from the incident. The fire service people dressed the injury for me,” he added.
Calling for government intervention, Ofoke urged authorities to restrict the establishment of filling stations in residential areas.
“My appeal is for the government to stop them from building filling stations close to where people are living, before it will happen next time,” he said.
