Adulterated kerosene fire incidents is another angle of disaster that brings about major concern and worries to members of the society. The incident, of a truth, has wasted several lives and properties worth millions of naira in Port Harcourt and its environs. The incident sometimes are caused by the carelessness or recklessness of human beings which also leave in their trail unpleasant consequences to its victims, relations and the society at large.

It is a true aphorism that fire is a very bad master which left  no warning that tragedy lurked at the corners, waiting for the victims of fire incident before suddenly striking on them.

It could be recalled that in the month of February to June, 2011, 14 citizens of Rivers State were lost to fire incidents arising from explosion of adulterated kerosene which had infiltrated some retail outlets in the state.

Still in the month of February, 2011, over 5,000 residents of Elechi Beach water front in Port Harcourt were rendered homeless when fire gutted their residents as a result of explosion of adulterated products is as a result of lack of adequate supply of kerosene.

The source of the kerosene were traced to local retailers who use surface tanks to store and sell the products. There was also an unconfirmed link between the local and retailer and a fuel filing station that was alleged to be the major source of adulterated kerosene in the area. Globally, three quarters of all burn-related death are as a result of kerosene accident and house fire.

Burn injuries resulting from kerosene accidents are the predominant type of turn injury in-patients presenting at burn centres in developing countries. Investigation reveals that the death rates are highest among young children and the elderly, who have difficulty in escaping from these type of fire incident. Most of the victims of kerosene explosion are women from the age range of 18-45 years. This is not surprising because the circumstances surrounding such incidents have to do with domestic activities like fueling of kerosene stove and lanterns.

For most resident in Rivers State, especially those within Port Harcourt metropolis, it is certainly a time of sorrow and disaster, as contaminated kerosene which point of origination is yet to b e known continued to wreck havoc on them. Most of the victims alive explained that he explosion normally occurred when they are trying to refill their lantern or cooking stove with the kerosene mostly purchase from hawkers around their neighbourhoods.

As for Miss Mercy Tornweni, it is a period of sadness that she will never forget in her life time. According to her kerosene was bought from hawkers around her vicinity in Bundu area of Port Harcourt. ‘As I was about refilling the lantern in my room, it exploded and burnt my fingers and some parts of my hands,” she said. It is a fact that most of the hawkers are doing the sales just for survival. They claim they normally purchase from petrol station at the cost of N19,000 per drum and retail at the rate of N400 per gallon.

It would also be recalled that a serving policeman in Warri, Delta State not too long ago, lost his wife and six children to kerosene explosion which occurred at their Oghara home, also in Delta State. Let us all be aware of this lurking national danger all around us, and profiteers also should re-examine their conscience, as no amount of profiteering can replace good health or indeed life restoration.

A simple sample test shows that if the colour of the kerosene is golden or light yellow it is likely to be adulterated kerosene. Furthermore if the smell is irritating, pungent or choking it is likely to be adulterated with gasoline. Also, if the product evaporates fast, it is an indication that it is adulterated and very volatile and hence potentially explosive.

Kerosene when unsafely handled creates a fire risk. Looking back in recorded history, in 1880, nearly two out of every 5 New York City fire were caused  by defective kerosene lanterns.

Kerosene vapour mixed with air is as explosive as gunpowder, hence the practice of adulterating kerosene with other more volatile hydrocarbon creates a potential explosion hazard.

It was also reported in the month of January 2011 that adulterated kerosene explosion kills four in Ogbara in Delta State. The victim died of an explosion triggered from a strike of a match to light kerosene lantern by their mother. Their residents was then engulf in a fire due to the explosion, adding that ingestion of kerosene is harmful or fatal.

Also in the month of March, 2011, it was reported that adulterated kerosene killed 34 years old women and injured her daughter in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Kerosene also known as paraffin or paraffin oil is combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is commonly used in Nigeria for lanterns and wick heater also called kerosene stove liquid with low flash point are flammable and combustible. Kerosene is a thin clear liquid formed from hydrocarbons which is obtained form the fractional distillation of petroleum resulting from mixture of carbon chains. On the 10th of February 2011 Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) issued alert of danger of more kerosene explosions following the discovery of widespread distribution of kerosene mixed with gasoline.

NNPC reported that 13 deaths were recorded from kerosene related explosion and the resultant fire between January and February, 2011. The proliferation of adulterated killer kerosene was accessioned by the closure of Nigeria four domestic refineries with adequate import supply between December, 2010 and February,2011.

The Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr. Suleman Abba had noted that kerosene adulteration and explosion resulting from that and several people becoming victims in recent past is no more news. According to him, the numerous efforts by the police, SSS, JTF and other members of the armed force in the state are making relentless effort to bring to an end, illegal bunkering, refining and adulteration of petroleum products in the state.