The new Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) was gutted by fire early on Friday morning at Kayode Street, Marine Beach, Apapa area of Lagos State.
According to eyewitness accounts, a massive explosion occurred around 11 am, causing people to scramble frantically to contain the fire before the arrival of the rescue team.
It was also reported that the incident was the result of petroleum product spillage within the terminal’s perimeter.
Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed the unfortunate incident, stating that a concerted effort with various emergency responders within the oil and gas industry was underway to manage the situation.
On its part, the Lagos State Fire Service on its X account said its agents are present in the fire scene.
The agency said multiple emergency response teams from the oil and gas sector are collaborating to contain the situation effectively.
On Wednesday, Nairametrics reported that Shell was probing reports of explosion observed early Tuesday near its Gbaran Ubie oil and gas installation in Nigeria’s Bayelsa state.
The fire Incident, reported in the early morning of Tuesday, involved sounds of explosions and sightings of smoke at a site where pipeline repairs were actively being conducted.
Despite the alarming reports, the Shell spokesperson assured that the incident would not necessitate an immediate operational shutdown of the facility.
Meanwhile, the company said it is taking steps to investigate the specifics of the incident and assess any potential impacts on its operations.
The company, however, confirmed that the fire that erupted after explosions at the gas processing plant has been put out.