The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Sunday said that two bodies had been recovered from the explosion site of a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline at Ile Epo axis of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Acting Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office, NEMA, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

NAN reports that the raging fire caused panic among the residents of Abule Egba, Ile Epo and Ekoro Road due to the thick smoke which oozed out from the explosion scene.

Farinloye said that several buildings and articulated vehicles were engulfed in the inferno which happened on Sunday night.

He noted that the cause of the incident had yet to be ascertained, saying that emergency responders immediately swung into action after receiving distress calls from some residents of the area.

“NEMA and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) officials are here. The Lagos State Fire Service officials are here trying to put off the fire.

“We have contacted NNPC to shut down the pipelines and so far, we have been able to recover two bodies,” Farinloye said.

Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Director General, LASEMA, also confirmed the incident in a statement.

“A raging fire from the explosion of a vandalised NNPC pipeline has caused panic among residents within Awori, U-turn and Pipeline communities in Abule Egba.

“LASEMA, Lagos Fire Service are responding and are on top of the situation,” he said.

It will be recalled that a similar incident had occurred on Dec. 5, 2019 after some suspected pipeline vandals disrupted the Atlas Cove-Mosinmi Pipeline, part of the System 2B Pipeline at Peace Estate, Varies, in Idimu axis of the state.