Soldiers on Friday averted a fresh tragedy in Rivers State as they prevented people from scooping fuel from some burning tankers in Eneka in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Also on Friday, an oil vessel had exploded on Friday at Abuloma waterfront in Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt at 9.45a.m, although the number of casualties could not be ascertained.
The Rivers Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission, Dr. Kayode Olagunju, said the vessel fire was restricted to the water area.
The South-South Zonal Coordinator, National emergency Management Agency, Mr. Umesi Emenike, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the vessel carrying unspecified quantity of petroleum products caught fire at Abuloma jetty, adding that the cause of explosion was not known.
“Members of staff of NEMA are still at the Abuloma jetty on the outskirts of Port Harcourt city. Nobody has been able to board the vessel and we do not know of any casualty as we speak,” he said.
Emenike said fire fighters had been battling to put out the flames.
On the Eneka incident, Emenike said, “The tankers are still burning and no casualty has been confirmed. The cause of the fire is still unknown and we are at the scene monitoring the situation of things to ensure the safety of lives and property.”
The spokesman for NEMA, Yushau Shuaibu, said in an email to PUNCH that residents who rushed out to scoop fuel from the tankers were forcibly stopped by soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force.
