Five people have reportedly died in an explosion that rocked a store in Omoku, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The unfortunate incident was confirmed by Fyneface Fyneface, the Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria).
According to Fyneface, the incident happened in a store where illegally refined petroleum products are stored.
He said that the explosion resulted in a wildfire that razed the entire building and killed five people.
His words, “The inferno is said to have occurred in a house where people purchased and stored illegally refined petroleum products including condensate for resale in the area.”
He added that details of the explosion were made available to him by the members of the Advocacy Centre youth volunteers network under the auspices of the One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Niger Delta.
Details available show that the incident happened at about 11 am on Saturday.
Four females and one male victim were burnt beyond recognition by the explosion.
Fyneface further called for an investigation into the matter while warning youths of the area to desist from engaging in pipeline vandalisation and illegal refining practices.