2 feared dead as explosion engulfs Rivers gas station

No fewer than two persons have been feared dead and several others injured following an explosion at a filling station in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to eyewitness, the inferno broke out while welders were working on one of the fuel tankers at Sobaz filling station, opposite Timber Market.

“Perhaps they didn’t wash the tank very well before welding, that’s why it exploded,” Peoples Gazette quoted the eyewitness as saying.

According to online reports four persons died from the incident.

Timothy Iwuagwu, spokesman of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, said that wielding a tanker whether empty or not, is dangerous and could kill the welder and people around.

Iwuagwu suggested that manholes of petrol tankers should be opened for at least 48 hours or more, and filled with water, before welding.

“A tanker or container, whether it is containing liquid volatile organic materials or used to be a container of such, remains dangerous without carrying out some precautionary measures which includes opening the manhole to be well ventilated for at least 48hours”, he told Peoples Gazette.