At least five people suffered injuries on Friday after a sudden explosion at a fuelling station in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The incident happened at the gas section of Nobpet Filling Station, located directly opposite the Air Force junction, throwing the area into panic.
According to witnesses, the explosion occurred around midday and quickly led to a massive fire outbreak. The flames spread rapidly, destroying several vehicles parked near the neighbouring Ebonyi State Transport Corporation office. Eyewitnesses confirmed that more than eight cars were burned beyond repair.
One of the injured, Emmanuel Ninyaegwu, a commercial driver, said he was about to begin his trip to Ebonyi State when the explosion took place. His 18-seater bus was destroyed in the blaze, and he also sustained injuries during the chaos.
Speaking to PUNCH Online, he said, “I was getting ready to load my vehicle… As I was opening my car boot, I heard the sound of fire. I fell down, got up, and ran just before it blew.”
Ninyaegwu added that emergency medical teams arrived quickly and helped treat the injured.
“There was an ambulance that came in from the Air Force. They treated some people, but they took some to the hospital,” he explained. He also noted that the initial efforts of the state fire service were not enough until the Air Force fire team arrived with extra support to fully contain the fire.
Another victim, Anthony Ofoke, who works as the supervisor of the Ebonyi State Transport Corporation in Rivers, also shared his experience. He said two of his company’s vehicles, including a bus and a Sienna, were lost in the fire.
“It was a very big calamity and an unexpected thing that just happened. I have never experienced such,” he said. Ofoke mentioned he was injured while trying to flee from the explosion and is still shaken from the event.
He also urged the government to take steps to prevent such incidents in the future by controlling where fuelling stations are built. “My appeal is that if the government can stop them from building fuelling stations close to where people are living before it happens next time,” he said.
Security agencies have started looking into the cause of the explosion. The Rivers State Police Command confirmed the incident through a message from the command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko. She noted, “I’m aware of a fire outbreak at the filling station. Investigation is ongoing.”
