A pipeline carrying petroleum products exploded Tuesday in Nigeria’s biggest city of Lagos, killing at least 16 people and injuring many others, the Red Cross said.
The toll looked set to rise dramatically, as what appeared to be dozens of bodies could be seen jumbled and fused together in the raging flames at the blast site. Intense heat kept rescue workers back as smoke billowed over the heavily populated Adule Egba neighborhood.
The blast shook the neighborhood after dawn, Nigerian Red Cross spokesman Umar Mairiga said. He said 16 bodies had been taken to the morgue, but raging fires were hindering further recovery. Many people had been injured, he said.
It wasn’t immediately clear what was flowing in the pipe or what caused the blast.
Nigerians often tap into pipelines carrying refined fuel, scooping up the raw product in buckets or plastic bags. Spilled fuel spreading in pools sometimes ignites, immolating people nearby.
In May, more than 150 people died in a similar explosion in Lagos.
Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer, but corruption, poor management and limited refining capacity often leaves the country short of fuel for vehicles and stoves.
Shortages in recent days have prompted hours-long lines at Lagos filling stations.