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.”