By Ben Dunno, Warri
A major pipeline fire explosion yesterday, occurred in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, destroying a large expanse of farmland and caused a severe pollution as thick smoke took over the air for several hours.
Although, the cause of the explosion could not be ascertained as at the time of filling this report, but a version of the eyewitness account attributed to an act of sabotage from syndicate that specialises in the theft of refined products along PPMC pipeline right of way while the other version attributed it to effect of the harmattan haze that spread the fire of a bush that was being burnt by a peasant farmer.
The affected pipeline located close to the 3rd Battalion of the Nigerian Army barrack in Effurun, near Warri, belongs to the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) traversed Delta, Edo to the other parts of the Northern state.
Eye witness at the Army barrack who spoke with our correspondent said they were devastated by the loud noise from the explosion and before they could ask question they saw a thick smoke that covered the entire area and traced the fire to the PPMC pipeline in the area.
