Two dead, 8 injured in Delta pipeline explosion

TWO persons were feared dead and eight
others injured in an NNPC gas pipeline
explosion, yesterday, at Okwokolo
community, Mereje, Okpe Local Government
Area of Delta State.
Officials of the Petroleum and Pipelines
Marketing Company, PPMC, were battling to
put out the fire ignited by the explosion as
at 6.30 pm, but they disputed the claim that
two persons died.
Many of the villagers fled for the fear of the
unknown.
Two pick-up vans of PPMC were burnt in
the fire disaster.
While a source said the explosion was
caused by pipeline vandals, a villager said
the pipeline sparked fired as PPMC officials
were effecting repairs on a ruptured
section.
It was gathered the fire started at about
3.30 pm. Our source said the injured
persons were rushed to hospital for
medical attention.
His words, “They were roasted like
chickens. I wonder what they were doing
near a gas pipeline. Our people don’t learn
from the mistake of others and what they
hear. As I speak with you, they are being
rushed to the hospital.
“I was on my way to Sapele when suddenly
I saw a thick smoke ahead of me and by the
time I got nearer, I saw that it was pipeline
explosion.”