The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has revealed the cause of the pipeline explosion that killed at least 15 people and destroyed about 50 buildings after a fire broke out in Abule-Ado area of Lagos.

The corporation saidthe explosion occurred when a truck hit some gas cylinders in the area.

 

This was made known in a statement by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Kennie Obateru.

 

NNPC said the incident occurred after a truck hit some gas cylinders stacked in a gas processing plant located near the corporation’s system 2B Pipeline Right of Way.

 

The corporation said it has quickly halted ongoing pumping operations on the Atlas Cove-Mosimi pipeline which was active at the time.

 

Obateru however noted that the temporary shutdown of the critical System 2B pipeline would not affect the supply of petrol across the country.

 

NNPC boss, Mele Kyari, and other top management of the corporation visited the sceneof the incident for an on-the-spot assessment.

According to zonal coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, several people were injured and taken to hospital.

Farinloye said some of the buildings collapsed while many roof-tops were blown off.