NEMA averts fire explosion as vandals rupture NNPC pipeline in Lagos

Pipeline vandals ruptured a pipeline belonging to the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in Lagos on Monday, few weeks after an explosion occurred at the Atlas Cove area of the state.

NEMA and fire officials were said to have prevented a possible explosion by sprinkling foam on the spilled petrol, re-directed traffic and enlightened the residents about the spills and how to manage it.

It was gathered that the pipeline was vandalised at Ita-Iyalode, a community in Idimu, and the PPMC said a major explosion was averted as officials of the National Emergency Management Agency and the Lagos State Fire Service swiftly responded to distress calls made to them by residents of the community.

The Manager, Media Relations and External Affairs, PPMC, Mr. Nasir Imodagbe, who confirmed the incident, said, 'A section of our pipeline was touched by pipeline vandals on Monday.  The rupture was caused by vandals trying to siphon petroleum products from the pipeline.

'Our officials quickly rushed down to the incident place to curb the fire from escalating to households and ascertain the level of damage. Our men have secured the area and as I speak, our engineers are fixing the ruptured points and it will be completed on Tuesday (today).

'I need to state here that no life was lost to the incident as our men spread foam to protect the spilled products, thus ensuring that there is no fire incident.'

The PPMC spokesman said the line had been shut down to allow officials to carry out repairs, and gave an assurance that the line would be back on Tuesday (today).

Imodagbe further urged residents around the area not to panic, adding that everything was under control

It will be recalled that in August 2012, similar attacks on PPMC pipelines in the state claimed over 100 lives, while scores of people sustained varying degrees of injuries due to the fire that accompanied the attacks.

Most of the victims were vandals who were caught in the act of siphoning refined petroleum products from the ruptured pipelines.