The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has commiserated with the Cross River State Government and families of people who lost their lives in the fire incident which occurred at the Linc Oil and Gas tank farm located at the Calabar free trade zone facility last Sunday.
In a statement issued yesterday and signed Principal Manager, Public Affairs at the NPA;Mr Ibrahim Nasiru, the agency added that it has commenced an investigation into the sad event with the aim of working with other organisations to prevent a recurrence of such events anytime in the future.
“ As part of the measures to forestall future occurrence the Authority has been in touch with the Cross River State Government on the urgent serious safety concerns over Esuk-Utan Beach residences right in the middle of an industrial area”, it added, even as it stressed its commitment to safety and security.
“We want to reiterate our commitment to the safety of all customers, operators and agencies within our facilities nationwide”
“We also commend the courageous effort of the NPA and Calabar free trade zone firemen, who put their lives on the line to prevent the spread of the terrible inferno. This is addition to the deployment of our Tug Boat MV Zaria that provided support from the waterfront”, it said.
“The NPA wishes people who sustained injuries from this incident speedy recovery as we pray for the repose of the souls of the dead”, the NPA said.
Meanwhile, t he death toll of the fire outbreak that occurred at Linc Oil and Gas depot in Calabar on Sunday morning has increased to 11 from nine, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Hafiz Inuwa, had on Sunday confirmed that nine persons died as a result of the inferno.
A visit by NAN to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCHT) on Monday showed that seven persons were currently receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of the hospital.
The Chief Medical Director of UCTH, Prof. Thomas Agan, told NAN that the hospital admitted nine persons shortly after the tragic incident.
“We admitted nine patients. Seven of them in the burns ward and the other two who had severe threatening conditions were taken into the Intensive Care Unit.
“Unfortunately, those two gave up the ghost this morning. Right now, we have seven patients with burns in our custody and they are receiving treatment.
“We had to use all we had to ensure that they are kept alive. Our consumables are now exhausted,’’ he said.
According to him, the cost of having patients with 60-90 degrees burns in the hospital was expensive.
“We need massive assistance, not only from the federal government, but from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and all the facilities involved in this matter,’’ he said.
One of the victims, Mr Asuquo Okon, told NAN that he was looking up to God for survival and appealed for assistance from individuals and organisations.
When NAN correspondent visited the scene of the incidence, the two vehicles burnt to ashes during the explosion were yet to be evacuated.
The state Commissioner for Petroleum, Mr Itaya Nyong, told NAN that the state would conduct a thorough investigation on the remote and immediate causes of the incident.
“We intends to embark on an investigation, and at the appropriate time, the machinery will be put in motion to assess the level of damage and establish culpability and certainly take action from there,’’ he said.
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