Five killed, scores injured as explosion rocks Rivers community

Five people have been confirmed killed with scores of others injured following an explosion that occurred in a residential area in Omoku, headquarters of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government of Rivers State, on Saturday.

An environmentalist and executive director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, Fyneface Dumnamene, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday, said the blast occurred in one of the rooms in a residential area used for storing illegally refined petroleum products.

According to Dumnamene, the occupants of the residence where the explosion occurred usually buy illegally refined kerosene and other products, store them, and resell them to members of the public.

Dumnamene said that the incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday, killed five persons, four females and one male who were burnt beyond recognition.

READ ALSO: Wike orders crackdown on illegal hospitals in FCT

“The incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday, April 26, by about 11 am, killing five persons, four females and one male, burnt beyond recognition,” she said.

The Rivers State Police Command spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, who also confirmed the incident while briefing newsmen, said the explosion was caused when a resident lit a fire close to the room where the illegal petroleum product was stored.

“What really caused the fire was that a resident brought a cooking stove to the place and was preparing noodles, which ignited the fire,” Iringe-Koko said, while also confirming the casualty figure, adding that the police has commenced investigation into this explosion.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now