Panic over gas explosion in Port Harcourt

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Explosion at a gas plant in Jephthah Secondary School, Mercy Land axis of the East West road, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State in the early hours of Wednesday resulted into panic among residents of the area.

But it was gathered that the Federal Fire Service promptly responded to the distress call and put out the fire which resulted from the explosion.

It was learnt that the reverberation from the gas explosion generated panic among residents within the neighborhood, leading to many scampering for safety.

However, an official of the Federal Fire Service who helped in putting out the fire explained that the explosion emanated from a leakage from one of the tanks inside the gas plant.

Eyewitnesses said that a heavy duty truck was used to pull out the gas tanker that was already in flame from the station to avoid collateral damage.

The number of casualties are still unknown, as the owner of the Gas station is yet to make official statement at the time of filing this report.

Some of residents and Eyewitnesses commended the promptness and dexterity of members of the Federal Fire Service expressed worry and possible disaster if the fire was not immediately curtailed.

Others residents suggested that regulatory agencies should up their game to ensure that owners Gas plants and Petrol stations should not establish in densely populated residents areas and those who violate the laws should have their license seized.