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From Joseph Obukata, Warri
At least five persons fleeing from a tank farm gas explosion have been reported dead after they jumped into a river in a bid to escape the huge fireball.
Daily Sun had reported that the explosion which occurred at the premises of Matrix Tank Farm in Ifiekporo in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State weekend, left twelve persons hospitalised from various degrees of injuries sustained.
It was gathered that locals on Sunday recovered five bodies from a river close to the company’s premises who were said to have reportedly drowned in a bid to flee the fire which gutted the facility resulting from the earth-shaking explosion on Friday night.
It was gathered that the bodies of the deceased were recovered on Sunday afternoon along the bank of Warri river.
It was not clear if they were workers of the oil and gas firm as their identities were yet to be established as at press time.
Preliminary investigation by a delegation of the Delta State government had on Saturday disclosed that no death was recorded by the company but confirmed that twelve persons were injured and now receiving treatment at the Ogiame Ikenwoli Hospital, Ubeji.
Local source privy to the incident said that the five deceased may have drowned while trying to escape from the fire which gutted the gas component of the tank farm.
According to sources, the deceased were outside the premises of the company when the explosion occurred and may have drowned after they dived into a nearby river while fleeing for safety.
Matrix Group Head of Safety, Mr. Fred Olomuro, who confirmed the latest development, said that five persons who drowned while fleeing for safety had been recovered.
“Today (Sunday) afternoon, local divers from our host community recovered five lifeless bodies that drowned probably while fleeing for safety during the fire incident on Friday. Where they died is some distance from the scene of the fire.
“Most offices had closed for business on that fateful day. Their bodies were recovered along the bank of the river away from our premises where the incident occurred.
“We’re greatly pained by the loss of these victims. We are already in touch with the family of the victims. We commiserate with the families on this unfortunate incident,” Olomuro stated.
The corpses of the deceased have been reportedly deposited at a morgue in Warri on Sunday .
