12 kills,others still missing in pipeline explosion at Bayelsa

A pipeline explosion occurred yesterday at Azuzua­ma community in Southern Ijaw local govern­ment of Bayelsa state claiming 12 lives .

While the 12 people were said to have been burnt be­yond recognition, others are still missing as they have not been seen after the explosion.

According to investiga­tions, the 12 persons were part of a team to conduct a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) at an oil spill site along the Teibidaba- Azuzuama truck line owned by Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

The team had arrived Azu­zuama yesterday morning to conduct the JIV at the oil spill site believed to have been caused by some vandals.

The team which comprises officials of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Agip, Bayelsa State Ministry of En­vironment, military personnel and stakeholders from the community were watching the clamping of a leaking sec­tion of the pipeline when sud­denly there was a spark and it exploded.

The explosion caused pandemonium as people scampered from the site but the inferno triggered by the explosion instantly burnt 12 persons and injured several others.

Some of the injured were said to have been moved to Okolobiri Teaching Hospital, where their condition was sta­bilised and preparations on-going to move them outside the state for further treatment.

The Commissioner for En­vironment, Mr Iniruo Wills who confirmed the incident said investigations have com­menced to know the cause of the explosion.

“Three of the Victims res­cued are now at the Okolo­biri Teaching Hospital which I have visited. Two were se­verely burnt and preparations are underway to move them out of the state for further treatment. One of my staff in the Ministry of Environment who joined in the operation is still missing. Investiga­tions are on-going to know the cause of the accident”, he stated.

A statement from Eni,, the parent company of Agip said investigation is ongoing by the company and local au­thorities to know the cause of the incident.

According to the spokes­man, Mr Filipo Cotalini three people were injured as a result of the incident.

“Eni informs that an explo­sion occurred at the site of the repair works of the Tebidaba- Clough Creek line, an oil pipeline in Nigeria’s onshore Niger Delta, previously dam­aged by acts of sabotage.

“The explosion resulted in the death of 12 members of the maintenance team of a lo­cal company of services, with 3 others being injured. The causes of the incident are still under investigation by both Eni and the local authorities.

The company expresses its deepest condolences to the families involved in this tragic accident”, the statement added. 

                                                          

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa state police command has confirmed that it has com­menced a search for two missing persons at the site of the pipeline explosion at Azu­zuama.

The Police Public Rela­tions Officer (PPRO), Anisim Butswat who also confirmed that a soldier on guard died during the incident said six bodies have been recovered.

“A pipeline exploded while AGIP Staff were carry­ing out routine maintenance at Gbaraun/Tebidaba, in Southern Ijaw LGA. Twelve persons were burnt beyond recognition, which included a soldier on guard duty, six other bodies were recovered. Four persons were rescued alive and are undergoing treat­ment, while two persons are still missing. Search for the missing persons is ongoing”.