We Never Learn
On 26 December 2006, a pipeline explosion occured at Abule Egba killing hundreds of people. The incident occurred after an elevated pipeline carrying petroleum products was punctured by thieves earlier at midnight (local time), attracting hundreds of scavengers in the district who collected the fuel using plastic containers, allegedly to siphon fuel into a tanker, before puddles of fallen fuel were ignited after dawn.
12 years later, 19th December 2018 at the same spot, a pipeline explosion occurred at around 2am (local time) this time destroying a lot of properties at a stretch of about 2.8km. According to eye witness, the incident occurred after a pipeline was punctured again by hoodlums who came with three tankers to steal fuel. When they finished scooping the fuel, they did not close the pipe and the fuel passed through the gutter and flowed down to the abattoir. Some butchers, who were roasting cow skin at the abattoir, were not aware that there was fuel in the gutter. So, the fuel attracted the fire and that was what led to the fire outbreak.
