EBONYI State government has shut the filling station (name withheld) fingered for allegedly selling adulterated kerosene to the households affected by an explosion from the product purchased from it two weeks ago.
It would be recalled that the explosion which occurred at Mbukobe and other parts of the state, killed one Chidera Nwoba, 13, and injured two other victims, Chibueze Ugorji, 8, and Uche Kalueze, 6.
Addressing newsmen, yesterday, Special Adviser to Governor Martin Elechi on Petroleum Product Pricing and Distribution, Mr. Chidi Ejem, asserted that the filling station was closed because its product did not meet the required standard for public usage.
He said the filling station would remain closed until its management took care of all penalties accompanying kerosene explosion in the country.
He warned that if the families of the victims were not adequately compensated by the owners of the filling station, as well meet other conditions on petroleum product distribution; the station would remain closed for a long time.
He said: “When the explosion happened, we took our time to investigate the source. All the affected families we talked with pointed towards the filling station under investigation.
“They said they bought the product from there. When we got to the filling station, there was no product but I managed to get a little quantity from their desktop.
“When the sample was tested at the NNPC depot laboratory, the manager confirmed to me that the product that caused the explosion was contaminated; or rather, I will say that the product did not meet the required specification.
“It was flashing at room temperature which does not meet NNPC specification and can cause such explosion if not properly used.
“That’s why the station is still under lock. I have written my report to DPR and PPMC and they have their own action to take. Petroleum issue is not just for the state to take action alone; we are concerned about the safety of the lives of our citizens.
“The filling station under investigation never passed through NNPC depot specification laboratory because they have their own depot; assuming they passed through NNPC depot, they would have been able to find out where the problem is from before distribution to the general public”.
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