No few than 100 people were killed on Friday night after an illegal refinery went up in flames at Abaezi community in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.
Also, six vehicles were razed during the incident which threw the community into mourning.
Hundreds of people visited the scene of the incident on Saturday to have a glimpse of the unfortunate development.
According to reports no fewer than 50 bodies were burnt beyond recognition at the scene of the fire explosion, which was said to have happened at about 8pm.
The state Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Goodluck Opiah, noted at the crime scene that the state government had declared the owner of the illegal refinery, Okenze Onyenwoke, wanted.
He advised the suspect whom he said was on the run to surrender himself at the nearest police station.
The Commissioner said that this is a sad development and the Imo State Government has declared wanted Okenze Onyenwoke, who owns this illegal refinery, he advised him to hand himself over to the police or any security agency.
An Indigene of the community, who identified himself simply as Ejike, said that every person at the illegal refinery site was killed in the explosion, adding that over 100 people lost their lives in the incident.
Ejike added that those who survived the explosion and were rushed to the hospital died on Saturday morning and no single person survived. Those who were rescued yesterday had all died this morning.
Meanwhile the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Muhammed Berde, has ordered investigation into the Friday night’s fire outbreak at an illegal refinery located in a forest at Abaezi community in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of the state which claimed no fewer than 100 lives.
