EXPLOSION: Kirikiri Tank Farms Mull Alternative Access Road

Following an explosion that took place around the tank farm last week, operators around the Kirikiri tank farms as well as residents of the area are now looking into how an alternative access road could be created to further serve as escape route in case of future fire disasters.

Following an explosion that took place around the tank farm last week, operators around the Kirikiri tank farms as well as residents of the area are now looking into how an alternative access road could be created to further serve as escape route in case of future fire disasters.
Shipping Position Daily gathered that owners of the tank farms have been trying to acquire properties belonging to some residents in order to construct an alternative exit route. According to sources, the discussion has been ongoing for some time now and its importance was further confirmed with the explosion last week which led to many of the residents scurrying for their lives.
A member of the stakeholders committee around the area, Mr. Onward Onwudiwe confirmed to our correspondent that even though the five tank farms are clustered together, there is only a narrow road that leads in and out of the area. He confirmed that the road can hardly contain two vehicles at a time; one must stop for the other.
He said that the discussion on an alternative route has been ongoing but that owners of some of the houses that should pave way for the road construction have refused to let go of their property. “This incident has further convinced them on the need for another exit” he said.
Stakeholders have approached some of them that have ‘C of O’ so that they will be compensated, but some have refused, you can see the road is very narrow and it’s not even smooth, when the tank farms wanted to construct the roads, the government refused they said it is government road” Onwudiwe said.
Contrary to circulated reports last week that the explosion took place at the entrance of Techno Oil, our correspondent who visited the area last week confirmed that the explosion was caused as a result of the activities of a tanker driver and motor boy trying to siphon PMS from a fully loaded truck reported to have been loaded at Techno Oil.
According to eye witnesses, “one of the food vendors, a woman, was cooking directly opposite the truck and it caught fire”
The driver and his accomplice were however reported to have absconded leaving behind an inferno that went on for hours and could have affected some residential buildings, but for the intervention of fire services from all the tank farms.
“There is need for the tank farm operators to evacuate all the food sellers and alcohol dealers around the tank farm, they are not supposed to be here, because we are handling a volatile material, I hope this will serve as an eye opener”, a source told our correspondent.
Meanwhile all efforts to speak with the Techno Oil Depot Manager proved abortive as she refused to respond to any question asked by our correspondent.