A tank farm on Apapa-Oshodi expressway belonging to Intergrated Oil and Gas limited, situated around the Ibru oil depot in Tincan island area of Lagos went up in flames yesterday.

It would have been totally engulfed by the inferno if not for the swift intervention of fire-fighters from Ascon oil limited, fire department of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Zenon Oil, Rahamaniya, Obat and a handfull of other petroleum marketing companies operating in and around the Ibru jetty.

When Vanguard arrived the scene at about 12:30 p.m yesterday, scores of fire-fighters could be seen working frantically to put out the fire, while a water tanker from the NPA was stationed to ensure adequate supply of water.

Eyewitness account, however has it that it was laxity on the part of the company in the area of safety that may have caused the problem as the fire occurred during the pumping and discharge of products, an activity which required full safety alertness before commencement.

An official of one the tank farms who spoke under condition of anonymity stated that the officials of the company were discharging products around 11 a.m when the incident occurred and would have been easily checkmated if necessary safety measures were put in place by the company.

According to him the company could have done much better by having effective safety measures on ground to avert such a situation.

"If not for concerted effort put in place by safety officers from Ascon oil and a host of other people what would have happened here today" he queried.

" And Government people from the DPR are here for the purpose of regulating these companies springing up without adequate safety measures or equipments, but one wonders what they are also doing as this is not the only company around here which does not have adequate safety equipments or fire fighting materials, they are all just cutting corners"

All efforts by Vanguard to reach the owner of the tank farm Captain Ihenacho proved abortive as he was said to be in the Admin office in Apapa, and all efforts to speak with the safety officer of the company or any other operative of the company proved abortive as the security men refused granting access to the officials claiming that they were busy trying to fight the fire.

Also officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) who were on ground declined to comment on the development claiming that they were not authorised to divulge information to media.