More than 50 people were killed in an explosion at an illegal oil refinery in Nigeria

ABUJA, Nigeria — More than 50 people were killed and many injured when an explosion rocked an illegal oil refinery in southeastern Nigeria, state and police officials said on Saturday.

According to a report in the Lagos-based newspaper Punch, the death toll could reach more than 100. The fire was reported to have spread to nearby properties.

The fire broke out Friday night and quickly spread to two fuel storage areas at the illegal crude oil refinery, leaving the complex “swallowed by a rapidly spreading fire” in the area, Declan Emelumba, Imo state commissioner said.

Emelumba said the immediate cause of the explosion and the extent of the damage, deaths, injuries and damage were being investigated.

Videos posted on social media show a gruesome scene, with people’s charred skeletons being turned into skeletons and jars. The Associated Press was unable to independently verify them.

“A lot of people died. Those killed were all illegal miners,” said Michael Abattam, a spokesman for the Imo State Police Command.

The Imo state government is searching for the owner of the refinery where the explosion took place and has declared him a wanted individual, an official said.

Illegal refineries are common in Nigeria, where shady business operators often evade regulations and taxes by setting up refineries in remote areas, out of sight of the authorities. .

Nigeria is Africa’s largest crude oil producer, but the country has very few formal refineries and therefore most gasoline and other fuels are imported, creating opportunities for plant operators. illegal oil refining.

This common practice is affecting crude oil production in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here