The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has vowed to permanently shut down any filling station which flout regulations on product discharge henceforth.
The Director General of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Alhaji Abbas Idriss, spoke while reacting to the fire outbreak at Conoil filling station, Area 10, Saturday, the third filling station gutted by fire within two weeks.
According to a statement on Sunday, signed by the Head, Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, the Director-General announced that a task force will be constituted by the administration and would soon commence strict enforcement of the regulations on content discharge and safety of lives and property of FCT residents.
Idriss blamed the fire at the three filling stations on non-adherence to regulations on content discharge, noting that flouting the rules could endanger the lives and property of FCT residents
“The incessant fire out breaks at filling stations in the FCT is becoming increasingly worrisome. The major cause of the fire is non adherence to the given time of content discharge, which is preferably early morning or late evening periods.
“Some filling stations also lack adequate fire defence equipment that will serve as first aid before the responders turn up. Some do not have trained safety officers, who are supposed to guide the operators at the filling stations.
“Within two weeks, 3 filling stations in the FCT have been gutted by fire as a result of wrong timing of content discharge, which could be termed as deliberate negligence, which the Administration would no longer tolerate,” he said.
Blueprint reports that the filling stations affected are AA RANO by Mpape Junction along Kubwa expressway on December 1, Danmarna Filling Station at FHA Lugbe on December 7 and Conoil Filling Station at Area 10, Garki on December 10.
The FEMA Boss attributed the fire outbreaks to the lingering fuel scarcity, which compels station managers to commence the discharge of content immediately the tanker arrives the station.
“The FCT Administration will open up discussion with the relevant NNPC Dept, Security Agencies and other relevant Stakeholders to see how we can strengthen the regulations and ensure full compliance of the laws and regulations with the view to saving lives and properties,” he said.
The Director-General commended the prompt response of fire fighters, especially the team from the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Army as well as other stakeholders in fighting the Conoil Fire.
He also commended security agencies for doing a great job by providing the needed security in order to prevent hoodlums from taking over the scene.
“No lives were lost to the fire, which started around 4pm on Saturday.
“Some vehicles parked within the premises of the station were, however, burnt along with the tanker discharging the fuel, as well as the station. No estimate of loss is done yet.
“FEMA is therefore calling on all petroleum industry stakeholders to always operate within the standard safety regulations in the discharge of all petroleum contents either in the morning or late in the evening and also to make adequate provision for functional fire defence equipment with adequate trained maanpower to handle every situations.
“In case of any emergency, FEMA Response team would be reached 24/7 by calling the National Toll Free Emergency Number 112 for prompt response,” he said.
