Rivers illegal refinery inferno kills 35

• It was gathered that over 45 persons were at the illegal site when the mishap happened and they were all affected
• A local, Emmanuel Daniel, said the victims went to deal in business of petroleum product before the fire ignited from a refining site

At least 35 persons have been killed after a fire broke out at an illegal oil refining site in Rivers State.

The incident reportedly happened at Ibaa Community, Emohua Local Government Area of the state on Sunday night.

It was gathered that over 45 persons were at the illegal site when the mishap happened and they were all affected.

A local, Emmanuel Daniel, said the victims went to deal in business of petroleum product before the fire ignited from a refining site.

He disclosed that the affected persons were scooping and bagging crude product when the conflagration.

Daniel noted that people from Isiokpo Kingdom in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Ibaa and Oduoha in Emohua LGA, were affected.

“More than 40 people were there at the site. They were there scooping and bagging crude oil when the fire caught.

“The fire came from a refining site that is close to the point where they were bagging the crude.

“Many Isiokpo and Oduoha people and Ibaa people were there. Seven of the people died inside the pit where they were scooping the crude. About 10 were burnt to charcoal by the pit.

“About 30 people died at the site while over 15 have even rushed to the hospital. I hear that three of them have died while they were being rushed to the hospital.” Vanguard quoted him as saying.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the state Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, is yet to react to the incident.