From Joseph Obukata, Warri
At least five people fleeing from a tank farm gas explosion have been reported dead after they jumped into a river, in a bid to escape the huge fireball.
Daily Sun had reported that the explosion, which occurred at the premises of Matrix Tank Farm, in Ifiekporo in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, at the weekend, left 12 people hospitalised due to varying degrees of injuries.
It was gathered that locals, on Sunday, recovered five bodies from a river close to the company’s premises, who were said to have reportedly drowned in a bid to flee the fire which gutted the facility, resulting from the earth-shaking explosion on Friday night.
It was gathered that the bodies of the deceased were recovered Sunday afternoon, along the bank of Warri river.
It was not clear if they were workers of the oil and gas firm, as their identities were yet to be established at press time.