Fire guts Abuja NNPC mega station

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation mega station in the Central Business District in Abuja has been gutted by fire.
A member of staff at the mega station, who preferred anonymity, told the News agency of Nigeria on Monday that the fire started around 10pm ‎on Sunday when a tanker was discharging fuel to the tanks of the petrol station.
The source said no casualty or injury was‎ recorded but noted that some sections of the filling station were affected by the inferno.
The source added that the fact that it was weekend and late in the evening reduced the risk of casualties and significant damage.
He said officers and men of the Federal Fire Service in Abuja were on hand to tackle the fire and helped in preventing it from spreading to neighbouring buildings.
Some eyewitnesses confirmed that the prompt response of the fire service helped the situation.
Yarima Sani, an eyewitness, said: “I was driving close to the station with the intention to fill up my tank when we were asked to use a different road that there was fire at the station.
“I parked and trekked and I saw the fire service people were already there helping to quench the fire.”
Sani added that some security men helped in controlling traffic.
Commenting on the situation, Collins Elechi, the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Fire Service, Abuja, confirmed the incident to NAN.
Elechi said the fire started around 9.28pm, while a tanker was discharging product.
He said the service received a distress call immediately and quickly deployed its men to the scene.
He said: “Our fire fighters responded immediately to the fire outbreak on Sunday at the mega station.
“The quick intervention limited the loss to the vehicles alone.
“It could have been more devastating if it had happened in the day time, especially afternoon.”
Elechi called on filling stations to be cautious while discharging petroleum products.
NAN.