Fire razes church, as tanker explodes in Lagos

Fire razed several shops and part of a church building after a tanker containing Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, exploded yesterday, at Total depot Dockyard, Apapa Road, area of Lagos. The incident was said to have started at 5:00am and raged till 10:00am before a team of fire fighters from Oando,Total and fire service arrived at the scene to put it off. An eyewitness who preferred anonymity said, “the incident began at about 5am, when illegal oil-bunkers were transferring PMS from kegs to the tanker. While transferring fuel from kegs to the tanker, one of the kegs was said to have fallen and caught fire which engulfed the tanker. Fortunately, the other tanker close by was empty it would have been more serious. Immediately the fire started, the culprits all ran away. The eyewitness added that residents of the area had made several complaints to the police on the activities of these illegal bunkerers but nothing was done until the incident happened. An official of Total depot who refused to disclose his identity said, “Well we have tried our best to put off the fire so it will not affect other property and total dockyard which of course would have caused a greater damage. Culled from Vanguard Newspaper