DPR Blames Stove, Lantern Refilling For Kerosene Explosion

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Eket office, says the refilling of active stove and lantern is the major cause of the increasing rate of kerosene explosion in Akwa Ibom.
DPR’s Operation Controller in charge of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, Bassey Nkanga, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Eket Local Government Area on Thursday.
“70 per cent of the cases that people try to refilled active stoves are the cause of kerosene explosion in the state.
“You bought kerosene and you are introducing it into active stove that is on already, will spill on to heated surface and cause explosion,’’ Nkanga said.
He explained that Akwa Ibom had recorded 18 cases of kerosene explosion in recent times leading to several people being burnt and others killed.
“Recent times, we have had issues of kerosene explosion, some of the reasons ranging from wrong usage of the product which is the primary causes and also you don’t rule out willful adulteration.
“I can state categorically that we have investigated some cases, the route cause was wrong procedures and wrong use of kerosene by some of the public,’’ Nkanga said.
Nkanga decried the increasing cases of kerosene explosion, saying that people should be mindful of who they send to buy kerosene to avoid explosion.
He said that the department had put measures on ground to checkmates route cause of kerosene explosion in the state.
“Some reported that they bought kerosene and it exploded in a particular filling station, we got to the filling station, to sample and run analysis, just to see that the product was unspec.
“They must have used the jerry can that used in storing petrol to go and buy the product; a jerry can of petrol can contaminate a good volume of kerosene,’’ he said.
He, however, explained some owners of surface tank took advantage of the price gap between petrol and kerosene to adulterate the product.
“Like I said, we don’t rule out willful adulteration, surface tank owners might want to take advantage to make money taking into consideration price gap between petrol and kerosene,’’ he said.
The controller advised the public to be careful when introducing kerosene to stove or lantern and the type of jerry can they use to buy kerosene to avoid explosion.
He further advised the public to wash container thoroughly before using it to buy kerosene.
“People at home should do colour coding containers, the green jerry can is meant for buying kerosene while the red jerry can is meant for buying petrol.
“So that if you want to go and buy kerosene, you will carry green jerry can instead of carrying red which is meant for buying petrol.
“If people take precautions, the rate of kerosene explosion will reduce drastically in the state,’’ Nkanga advised.