By Balogun Mabamije
Residents of Oteri Community in Ughelli North local government area of Delta state were on Thursday, August 13, 2020 thrown into flights due to suspected leakage of gas in a gas station, Robor Energy Limited, located along the Oteri-Ovwor road.
Reports from an eyewitness say that there was a minor gas leakage in the gas station which sparked off the company fire alarm system while they were attending to customers who were there to fill their gas cylinders.
The eyewitness who did not disclose her name said the situation forced the workers to put on hold every business of the day and also invited men of the Delta State Fire Service, Ughelli Office who responded immediately to forestall any eventuality of fire outbreak.
She added that officers of the fire service made a thorough check and were able to put the situation under total control.
One of the staff of the company who gave his name simply as Mohammed told our correspondent that the leakage was caused by the tanker driver who came to supply gas to the company.
According to Mohammed, the tanker driver mistakenly left the valve of the tanker unlocked after he had completed sales and the hose already detached from the tank which caused the environment to be filled with gas.
“In that situation, customers who were there started running for safety,” he said.
Corroborating the eyewitness account, Mohammed disclosed that immediately the leakage was noticed, men of the State Fire Service in Ughelli were called to put the situation under control.
He commended the quick response of the fire service and added that the company had used the opportunity to carry out thorough check of their system and maintenance.
As at the time of filling this report, the situation was calm and skeletal business was ongoing.