The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged filling station owners to implement robust fire safety measures to prevent outbreaks and minimize loss of lives and property.
Speaking in Enugu on Sunday, the Chairman of IPMAN’s Enugu Depot Unit, Mr. Chinedu Anyaso, emphasized the importance of fire precautions in the oil and gas sector, particularly in the regions under his jurisdiction.
The Enugu Depot Unit oversees petroleum marketers in Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and parts of Abia, Imo, Kogi, and Cross River States.
According to Anyaso, all petroleum product outlets under the unit’s control have been mandated to keep fully functional fire extinguishers and buckets of sand before opening for daily operations.
He said that each filling station must also have a sticker indicating “No Phone Calls, Please” and a phone number or phone code of the nearest firefighting/service station.
IPMAN partners Federal Fire Service
He added that IPMAN is partnering with the Federal Fire Service to organize a seminar for petroleum marketers and their station attendants.
He explained that this is in a bid to enhance safety awareness and that training will cover proper handling of fire extinguishers, recognizing expiration dates, and preventing leaks due to poor storage.
“The training includes how to ensure that the content of the fire extinguishers do not leak due to poor handling and storage as well as to know when a fire extinguisher expires.
“They will also be exposed to other necessary things to implement in case of a fire incident within a filling station.
“We recorded a fire incident in a filling station outlet in a remote area of the state caused by answering a phone call close to a pump nozzle dispensing fuel in a filling station in January,” he said.
- He cited a recent incident in January where a fire outbreak occurred at a remote filling station due to a customer answering a phone call near a dispensing pump nozzle.
- Anyaso further advised fuel station operators to consider atmospheric temperatures before offloading petroleum products.
“Petroleum products should be dispensed in the morning or evening hours when the intensity of the sun and weather is low,” he cautioned.
IPMAN’s call for enhanced safety measures comes amid growing concerns over fire hazards in fuel stations, with the association urging strict compliance to prevent further tragedies.
What you should know
- The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) which regulates the operations of filling stations across has recently shut down some filling stations for not meeting safety conditions.
- Nairametrics reported that last month, NMDPRA sealed two filling stations in the Sagamu area of Ogun State over safety concerns.
