SAN FRANCISCO, October 22, (THEWILL) – The gas plant of the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company in Ekpan, near Warri, Delta State, went up in flames, Tuesday morning, with residents and refinery workers scampering for safety .
The incident came just about two years after a similar one occurred in the refinery in 2011 when the loading bay of the refinery caught fire, leading to the death of a motor boy of one of the four tankers destroyed by the inferno.
Impeccable sources told THEWILL that the fire started when repair works on the gas plant were about to commence as a leak in the gas component sparked the fire before repair works could start.
The fire was said to have started from the 10-H-02 equipment in area 2 with the big explosion causing panic in Warri and its environs.
Unconfirmed number of casualities was recorded in the explosion as some workers in the facility were said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to nearby clinic.
Other workers were said to have been immediately evacuated to a safe area before the fire was later put off after few hours by fire fighters deployed to the scene.
But the Public Affairs Manager of the company, Mrs Emmanuelle Ate, said there was no casualties in the incident, which she described as a minor fire outbreak that has been brought under control.
The Managing Director of WRPC, Engr. Paul Obelley, who had already travelled to his home town Eleme in River State had to cut short his trip and rushed back to Warri , Tuesday afternoon, when the news of the refinery fire got to him.
“We were initially frightened by the explosion but the prompt intervention of the MD actually saved the situation. Infact, the incident was effectively managed by the management of the company,” a source said.
NNPC Says No Cause for Alarm
The Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC has confirmed that there was a minor fire incident in the Topping Unit of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, WRPC.
The fire was however promptly brought under control through the combined effort of the Fire Department and other staff of the Refinery, the corporation said.
A Press Statement issued by the Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Tumini Green explained that the fire which started around 11am was successfully extinguished without any fatality.
Green noted that the Unit involved was promptly isolated and shut down for safety adding that the exact cause of the fire is being investigated by the Management of the Refinery. She said appropriate steps would be taken to forestall future occurrence.
The NNPC Spokesperson noted that preparations are under way for re-streaming of the affected unit.
“We wish to seize this opportunity to reassure members of the general public that the NNPC continues to hold sufficient stock of premium motor spirit (petrol) and other petroleum products and therefore there is no cause for panic buying,” Green stated.
MEND Claim Responsibility
Outlawed militia group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on Tuesday claimed it was responsible for the incident at the gas plant.
MEND’s Jomo Gbomo said they sabotage the refinery in continuation of its declared ‘Hurricane Exodus’ which is targeted on the oil and gas industry.
The statement by MEND said: “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) takes responsibility for the sabotage this morning, Tuesday 22 October, 2013, inside the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Refinery in Warri, Delta State of Nigeria.
“‘Hurricane Exodus’ was intended to burn down the entire refining facility.
“As long as President Goodluck Jonathan continues to rely on an unsustainable and fraudulent Niger Delta Amnesty programme, peace and security will continue to elude his government in the region”.
“‘Hurricane Exodus’ is on course!”
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