Two persons died yesterday in Warri, Delta State, after allegedly inhaling what is suspected to be highly toxic gas while on board a barge in the coastal part of the city.
THISDAY gathered that three persons were involved in the accident, but the third person survived after he was revived at a hospital where he had been rushed to unconscious. The nature of the petroleum product being carried by the vessel could not be ascertained as at press time.
The accident reportedly occurred at the Sediku coastal area of Warri in the early hours of Thursday, December 28, 2006, which ostensibly hampered rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, the owner of the barge and Managing Director of Joachim Enterprises is now a guest of the police at Enerhen Police Division, for interrogation, police sources confirmed.
The report is coming amid biting shortage of petroleum products which has paralysed business and social activities in Warri, just as in other parts of the country, with most filling stations shut and the few opened charging� black markets” prices.
Acute scarcity of petroleum products across the country particularly appears to have increased illegal product movement and marketing with appropriate authorities apparently unable to tackle the problem decisively.
Although, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, threatened to arrest perpetrators in his immediate reaction to the pipeline fire that killed nearly 300 people in a Lagos suburb early in the week, black market activities has continued to thrive openly in Warri and other parts of Delta State and neighbouring Edo State.
Dec302006