How Inferno Consumed Over 100 Persons At An Illegal Oil Refinery In Imo State
There are different accounts of the inferno that engulfed an illegal Oil refinery situated in Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.
While some said that the fire whose cause is yet to be determined started at about 11:00pn on Friday night, others said it started in the wee hours of Saturday.
However, what is certain remains that after the fire went off, over 100 persons made up of mainly youths from within the neighbouring communities eking out a living were burnt beyond recognition at the site of the illegal Oil whose owner has been identified by the Imo State Government and declared wanted. The inferno also destroyed large farm lands.
The fire did not only recorded deaths but left several others badly injured with severe burns and are presently receiving treatment at the various health facilities they were rushed to by some public spirited people from the community.
Governor Hope Uzodimma has described the inferno that engulfed the identified illegal Oil refinery site in Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of the state as horrific and also described the activities of the operators at the site as criminal.
As at the time of filing this report, the exact casualty figure could not be ascertained as it was gathered that some family members of the victims had picked up the remains of some of them.
Governor Uzodinma noted that this is not the first time fire from illegal bunkering site is being witnessed, adding however that the magnitude last Friday night is terrible and difficult to quantify.
