16 May 2008
Lagos — WORK on a road project in Lagos turned tragic yesterday when an excavator uprooted an oil pipeline, igniting a huge fire that left about 39 people, including school children dead. Among the dead were three brothers. Some accounts put the casualty figure at 100.
More people were either missing or injured, while 16 buildings and over 20 shanties were razed. Some families were rendered homeless.
The construction excavator was working on the Ijegun - Iseri Osun - Jakande Estate, Isolo road.
At the time of the incident, Automotive Gas Oil otherwise known as diesel was being pumped through the line thereby worsening the situation.
Alhaji Abdulsalam Muhammed, Assistant Zonal Co-ordinator South-West, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the driver of the excavator was burnt beyond recognition, and that as soon as the NNPC was alerted, it immediately stopped the circulation of diesel through the pipeline
Yesterday's pipeline fire was different in the sense that, unlike the past ones which were caused by the activities of vandals and fuel thieves, it was caused by construction work.
As at 6 p.m. yesterday, doctors at the Ikeja General Hospital were still battling to save the lives of over 60 persons who sustained first degree burns. Several others said to have sustained minor burns were treated in several government hospitals in the state.
3 brothers, pregnant woman with 4-yr-old among victims
Three brothers- Osahon, Osamede and Idemudia aged 18, 15 and 13 respectively -were said to be among those who lost their lives in the inferno. A pregnant woman and her 4-year-old son were also said to be among the deceased.
It was gathered that the construction workers mistakenly broke an underground pipeline from which product started gushing out.
Residents of the area cashed in on the situation to scoop fuel from the broken pipeline when all of a sudden an explosion occurred, setting those around ablaze.
The fire which started from the Isolo end of Ijegun reportedly spread through the gutters to buildings, and their occupants. Also affected was Ijegun Primary School, where some of the pupils reportedly sustained minor burns while scampering for safety.
Fire sacks schools
Vanguard gathered that other schools affected by the development include: Ijegun High School, Saint Saviours Nursery and Primary School and Queen Marie's College which all of which had to close down temporarily.
When Vanguard arrived the scene yesterday, the area was covered in thick smoke emanating from the fire.
People who were yet to find their loved ones were unconsolable as they wailed.
As at 5.30 p.m, the fire was still raging and there were fears it might further spread to other houses. Officials of the Federal and State Fire Service battled to no avail to put it out. At a point, the frustrated officials ran out of water and hydrant to battle the raging inferno.
Vanguard gathered that officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had been contacted to shut in products distribution on the pipeline from the Ijegun end to stop further flow.
Red Cross confirms 39 deaths
Chairman of the Lagos State Red Cross Society of Nigeria, Deacon Timothy Oladele, confirmed "that 39 persons lost their lives in the tragic incident, 56 others sustained varying degree of burns, while 11 houses were gutted by fire."
The deceased were driven in four ambulances to the Ikeja General Hospital as at 5.30 pm yesterday.
Deacon Oladele also said the Red Cross had compiled names of those injured and set up camps around the area where people could come and write down the names of their missing relatives as well as cross check if their relations were among those whose names were compiled.
The state Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Marvel Akpoyibo, was at the scene with the Area 'G' Commander, Omolaji Ojusanya. Officials of LASTMA, LASAMBUS, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and the police were all present at the scene.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, said policemen were at the scene to provide security.
School children missing
Following the fire incident, scores of children in the adjoining schools in the area scampered for safety.
A portion of the fence of the Ijegun Primary School in the area was said to have collapsed as the pupils tried to escape, falling on some of them and seriously injuring a number of others.
Some eye witnesses said some of the children were rushed to Igando General Hospital for treatment.
It took about 40 minutes after the fire started for the NNPC fire fighters to arrive the scene and they were soon joined by fire fighters from Lagos State Fire Service.
But the fire fighters' efforts came to nought and as the fire spread quickly, residents with houses close to the scene tried to salvage any property they could.
An AP fuel station close to the scene of the fire accentuated the fear by the residents that the worst could happen if the raging fire spread to the fuel station.
It was a chaotic situation as many of the children of the public primary school in the area who were about going on break when the incident happened ran about, weeping.
Scores of them apparently could not find their way home as those to pick them were not expected until after closing time.
Many parents who rushed to the area to pick their children from school also claimed that they could not find them.
Some students of the two secondary schools in the area - Baptist Model High School and Ijegun Comprehensive High School - were also said to have been injured in the ensuing melee.
The premises of the primary school was littered with shoes, books and school bags abandoned by the pupils in their rush to escape the fire incident.
PPMC reacts
In a reaction to the development, Mr. Ralph Ugwu, Manager, Public Affairs of the Petroleum Pipeline Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, said neither knew the casualty figure nor the volume of petrol lost as a result of the fire incident, adding that what was of major concern to his organisation was to bring the fire under control.
He corroborated eyewitness account that the fire was sparked by an excavator working on the pipeline's Right of Way.
He said even though products flowing through the line had been shut off, "this would not affect availability in the Lagos area.
"The affected line is the one carrying product between Atlas Cove and Mosimi depot. I can assure you that there is enough supply at the Mosimi, Satellite and Ibadan depots and as soon as the fire is put out, we shall restore product supply to the Mosimi depot," he said.
Lagos deploys emergency services
Lagos State Government sympathised with victims of the pipeline fire while deploying emergency services to cope with the development.
Addressing newsmen on the incident at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mr Tunde Balogun, who spoke alongside the Special Adviser on Information, Mr. Segun Ayobolu, said the entire state government emergency agencies were deployed to the scene immediately the incident was reported.
Mr. Balogun added that all hands were still on the deck as the fire was still raging and might take some more hours before it is finally put out.
Also speaking, Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, Mr. Segun Ayobolu, said immediately the incident was reported, top officials of the state government including the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Tola Kasali, and his Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation counterpart, Mrs. Joke Orelope Adefulire, visited the scene and are coordinating rescue operations.
Mr. Ayobolu added that the state government emergency officials including the fire service had formed protective foam against the spread of the fire while Lagos State Emergency Medical Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS) mobile ambulances were treating those with minor injuries while those with major injuries had been transferred to the state General Hospital.
In his contribution, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, appealed to the public to be calm and refrain from reacting to the unfortunate incident in any way that could lead to an escalation of casualty figures.
Mr. Bello also pleaded that residents and onlookers should make no attempt to block the road to prevent rescue agencies from reaching the victims as this would only worsen the situation on ground.
Written by Wale Akinola, Seun Oyewole, Evelyn Usman, Kingsley Adegboye, Yemie Adeoye, Olasunkanmi Akoni & Austi
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