The police have confirmed the death of four individuals following an explosion at a residential building in Omoku, headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The explosion, which occurred around 11am on Saturday, was reportedly triggered by a cooking stove placed near illegally refined petroleum products stored inside the building.
Sources said a woman was preparing noodles when the stove ignited the highly flammable materials.
Three residents and a woman who had visited to purchase condensate were burnt to death in the incident.
Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the fatalities and said an investigation is underway.
“What caused the fire was that a resident brought a cooking stove into the building and was preparing noodles, which ignited the fire,” she explained.
“She and three other women were burnt beyond recognition, including a visitor who came to buy condensate.”
Environmental activist and Executive Director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene, also confirmed the incident in a statement issued to the press.
Dumnamene alleged that the occupants regularly purchased, stored, and resold illegally refined petroleum products.
He warned against pipeline vandalism and illicit refining activities, calling on the Federal Government to legalise modular refineries as a safer alternative.
“The inferno occurred in a house where illegally refined petroleum products, including condensate, were being stored for resale,” he stated.
“We urge a thorough investigation and caution residents and youths against involvement in pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refining, and the storage of illegal petroleum products to prevent future tragedies.”