20 feared dead in fire outbreak at illegal oil refinery site in Rivers

At least twenty persons have been reported dead following a fire outbreak on Wednesday at an illegal oil refining site in Rumuekpe Community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Reports claim several others sustained varying degrees of burns and others unaccounted for.

It was gathered that the fire broke out as a result of an explosion from one of the pots used by for refining petroleum products in the area.

Commander of a local security outfit in the area, Frank Nwazimutor, confirmed that five of the victims were from his own village.

He expressed concerns over the incident in the community while blaming it on lack of employment opportunities for the people by the government and the company.

Tribune Online reports that Rumuekpe is one of the communities that has the highest number of oil wells in Rivers State but has remained underdeveloped, with no standard health facilities, school, electricity, water and other social amenities.

The situation had in 2005 resulted in communal crisis and destruction of properties which forced inhabitants to flee the community for years before intervention from certain stakeholders.

The Rivers Police command was yet to react to the report as at press time.

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