National Emergency Management Agency, has confirmed that the Ijegun pipeline fire has been successfully quenched with the assistance of specially-trained safety firemen after 17 hours of tedious services.

South-West Coordinator of NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, gave the confirmation, saying the pipeline explosion occurred at Ijegun in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State in the early hours of Thursday, with two unidentified bodies as well as many vehicles and shops burnt in a raging fire.

Farinloye, said the fire was subsided with support from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as the Lagos State and Federal Fire Services.

According to him, we had sent the details that two died and taken to the mortuary, 12 injured, four were rescued and taken to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

He noted that eight persons with minor burns were taken to Gbagada Hospital.

He, however, mentioned that 31 vehicles were burnt by the fire.

“Officials of the NNPC Fire Safety Unit are still at the scene with other State and Federal Fire Services officials to ensure the inferno is put off totally.

“As we speak, the fire has been contained and not posing any threat to life or property,’’ Farinloye said.

According to him, it is the responsibility of every Nigerian to prevent criminality.

“If the people had played their civic responsibility of informing any arm of government about the nefarious activities of vandals in their areas, the incident wouldn’t have happened.

“We implore everyone to inform any government agency or personnel of any criminal activity,’’ Farinloye said.

Also, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has directed its team of engineers to immediately investigate and commence repairs of Thursday’s pipeline explosion allegedly caused by vandals at Ijegun, a Lagos suburb.

Group General Manager, Public Affairs of NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu, said the explosion was caused by vandals, saying the Group Managing Director, Maikanti Baru, had directed the corporation’s team of engineers to resume at the fire scene and redress the situation.

Ughamadu said the fire was ignited when some vandals were scooping fuel from the pipeline.

“We urge everybody within the community to remain calm as the situation is under control. Our team of engineers has resumed at the site to bring the situation under control.