A car powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) on Thursday, exploded at a NIPCO filling station on Benin-Auchi road, Uhunmwonde Edo state.
Gatekeepers News reports that eyewitnesses revealed that no fewer than three people were rushed to University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) after the explosion.
The victims of the explosion include a passenger of another vehicle, a pump attendant, and another employee of the station.
According to a source at the gas station; the explosion was caused by substandard conversion kits and cylinders used in installation of the CNG on Audi 80 salon car.
The source added, “The driver of the car and the technician who installed the CNG kits in the vehicle had driven to the filling station to test the efficacy of the installation when the explosion occurred.”
“Some people patronise road side technicians because of the high cost of conversion.”
Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) confirmed the explosion through a statement posted on X.
The agency noted that advised that the vehicle was illegally modified to CNG and advised only accredited conversion centres should be used to convert petrol-powered vehicles to CNG.
The statement goes, “A close examination of the cylinder in question in Benin City shows it was welded and modified and not approved for use for CNG.”
“The police, regulatory authorities and management of NIPCO are undertaking a painstaking investigation of the incident and we are coordinating with them.”
“This incident reiterates the impetus of the PCNGI and our partners on the soon-to-be-launched Nigeria Gas Vehicle Monitoring System at SON, NMDPRA, NADDC and FRSC to tackle any bad actors in the ecosystem that seeks to make this safer, cheaper, cleaner and more reliable source of fueling risky for all.”
“We also call on all stakeholders to cooperate with the new system of regulation and ensure full compliance.”
“Only accredited conversion centres must be patronized and safe handling of CNG just like petrol ensures safety for all.”
