By MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] blazing fire engulfed a private gas plant in Benin City, Edo State of Nigeria on Sunday morning Nigerian time, leaving four persons burnt and some property destroyed.Responses from the operatives of Edo State Fire Service and some motorists with fire extinguishers prevented the fire from consuming residential buildings around the gas plant, along the densely populated Ugbor Road, Government Reservation Area (GRA) in the state capital.
Alltimepost.com gathered that the victims were inside the gas plant with a full load of truck discharging gas when the place suddenly went in flames about 8:25am.
When our reporter visited a few minutes after, a worker in the gas station who craved anonymity said it was a spark from the generator set that caused the fire. He stated that the first victim was a co-worker who went to start the generator when public electricity supply went off.
He however lauded the truck driver, who amid the confusion swiftly drove the gas-filled vehicle out of the plant. A visit to the Edo State Central Hospital in Benin where the victims were rushed to revealed that they have been referred to another hospital in the City due to lack of bed space.
The condition of the four victims could not be ascertained as at press time. Damaged car, roof and other property were visible as some of the workers quickly locked the gate on sighting our reporter taking pictures.
The value of property damaged or destroyed by the fire could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report as the management of the company could not be reached.
Attempts to obtain comments from the spokesman, Edo Police Command DSP Chidi Nwabuzor failed as at press time.
