An explosion in a tank farm located behind Churchill Police Barracks in Apapa area of Lagos sparked a major fire on Thursday, disrupting operations at the depot.
Witnesses said many people were injured by the fire that resulted from the explosion, which happened at about 1 pm.
A policewoman who lives within the Churchill Police Barracks told BusinessDay that she was outside when she received a call that their home was under threat.
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“When I rushed back home, I noticed that the fire was raging from one of the petroleum tanks within the tank farm,” said the police officer.
As at the time of this report, all police personnel within the barracks and their entire families have moved outside as the fire continues to rage.
Multiple sources who spoke with BusinessDay, as well as our correspondent who managed to get to the scene, said the tank farm belongs to Oando plc, a Nigerian multinational energy company operating in the upstream, midstream and downstream.
As at 2:24pm, no fire service outside the one operating within the tank farm premises had arrived. Fire service men within the tank farm premises have so far been unable to put out the inferno.
Meanwhile, security operatives have cordoned off the entire area to prevent intrusion by unauthorised persons.
There are over 63 tank farms currently located in Apapa that are posing serious threat to lives, business and infrastructure within the port environment.
