An early morning explosion at the Nobpet fuelling station near Air Force Junction in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, left at least five people injured and over eight vehicles destroyed on Friday, May 16, 2025.
According to The PUNCH, eyewitnesses said the explosion occurred in the cooking gas section of the fuel station and quickly escalated into a large fire. The flames spread to the premises of the Ebonyi State Transport Corporation, damaging multiple vehicles parked nearby.
Emmanuel Ninyaegwu, a commercial driver whose 18-seater bus was among those destroyed, recounted his narrow escape. “I was about to start loading passengers when I heard a loud sound. I fell, got up, and ran before the whole place went up in flames,” he said. “My wife, who is pregnant, was with me. We’re lucky to be alive. I sustained an injury to my ear.”
Emergency response efforts were initially hampered as the Rivers State Fire Service ran out of water. However, support from the Nigerian Air Force Fire Service helped bring the fire under control.
“Some victims were treated on-site by paramedics from the Air Force, while others were taken to the hospital,” Ninyaegwu added.
Anthony Ofoke, the supervisor of the Ebonyi State Transport Corporation in Rivers, was also affected. “It was devastating. I had just returned from the office when the explosion occurred. Two of our vehicles – a bus and a Sienna – were destroyed,” he lamented. “I got injured on my leg while trying to escape.”
Ofoke appealed to authorities to reevaluate the siting of fuelling stations close to residential and commercial areas. “This kind of tragedy can be prevented. The government should not allow gas stations to operate in densely populated zones,” he said.
The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the incident. In a brief statement to journalists, the spokesperson for the command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, stated, “I’m aware of a fire outbreak at the filling station. Investigation is ongoing.”
No fatalities have been reported so far. Authorities have cordoned off the affected area as investigations continue into the cause of the explosion.