Over 100 people are feared dead following an explosion in the Nigerian state of Rivers in the country’s south, Goodluck Opiah, state commissioner for petroleum resources, has told local media.
“The fire outbreak occurred at an illegal bunkering site and it affected over 100 people who were burnt beyond recognition,” Opiah said.
Declan Emelumba, Commissioner for Information from the adjacent state of Imo, said an investigation into the cause of the incident, as well as damage, injuries and fatalities was underway.
Imo State Police Command spokesman Michael Abattam said all those killed were “illegal operators.”
“A lot of people died,” he said.
The fire which followed the explosion spread to properties nearby after engulfing a pair of fuel storage areas.
With a daily output of over 1.9 million barrels of oil per day, Nigeria is the world’s 15th largest producer of oil, and the largest in Africa, sending the majority of its supplies to Asian markets.
The operation of illegal refineries is common in the country, with operators setting up refineries in remote areas. Oil is sourced from pipelines owned by major foreign energy giants. In addition to the danger of deadly accidents, the practice of illegal oil refining has led to the pollution of local waterways, farmland and lagoons.
The Nigerian government occasionally deploys troops to try to get a handle on the situation, with the military destroying the illegal refineries and arresting their operators.