More Disturbing Facts On The Fire Explosion That Left Over 100 People Dead At Illegal Refinery In Imo

For the people of Imo State, this is obviously not the best of time. In a space of three days, the South East State has recorded a devastating number of people who have reportedly lost their lives in a horrific circumstance.

This was resulted from the horrendous fire explosion that rocked the illegal refinery at Abaezi forest in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of the state on Friday night.

Since the news of the unfortunate incident broke out early on Saturday, the reports coming from the site of explosion have been conflicting and controversial.

While it was reported that about hundred people were burnt beyond recognition, latest information from the venue proved that numbers of people that died in the explosion is quite alarming and uncountable.

In an on-the-spot report carried out by Arise TV on Monday morning, some residents who are eyewitnesses to the incident confirmed that more than five hundred people must have gone into the disaster.

According to Mmenze Chimemefunah, a resident at the village close to the site, about 100 people are still being searched for in his village.

The missing people were not among the over one hundred dead bodies that have been discovered from the explosion. He said they have tried their phone numbers but switched off. They have combed every nooks and crannies of the surrounding but could not locate them. No trace of them.

Another resident, Udogu Godstime said no one can verify the exact number of victims as at this morning, Monday 4th of April. According to him, they had counted the numbers of dead bodies on the ground, and they are well over 200.

These according to him are not part of dead bodies that have been taken away from the location. Similarly, Some of the critically burnt victims rescued from the scene are dead and they are still not counted.

On what could have likely caused the fire, Godstime explained that there was a spark at the place where they were refining the crude oil. The fire caught the gas and spread fast which made it unmanageable and unescapable for the victims.

As at the time of filing this report, several dead bodies are still littering the places while billows of smoke is still noticeable at the scene.