NAN-H-19
Hazards
By Moses Omorogieva
Lagos, Feb. 5, 2017 (NAN) The Director of Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasak Fadipe, on Sunday advised members of the public against participating in hazardous jobs without professionals involvement.
Fadipe gave the advice while reacting to some deaths recorded in the state from filling station underground tanks and deep wells in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He noted that some fuel stations and individual had always sought the services of non-professionals to clear their tanks and dig their wells.
“They carry out such project without fire service involvement. It is when things go wrong; perhaps, someone is trapped that they call on the service.
“It is wrong. While clearing your underground fuel tank, you should involve expert like fire service. Underground or surface fuel tanks are dangerous for any person to work on.
“Fumes from fuel are dangerous to health, it can kill if inhaled carelessly,’’ he said.
The director, who did not give statistics of victims in the state, said that four men were brought out from fuel tanks and deep wells in the last one week.
Fadipe said that two dead bodies were recovered last Monday from a petrol tanker and a deep well in the state.
He said two men, who got suffocated while working in a fuel station underground tank were rescued on Friday.
“The two men were to clear the tank. One was working inside and got suffocated. The second man outside wanted to go in and rescue his colleague and got suffocated too.
“It was members of the public who alerted the fire service for rescue. We brought the two men out.
“Unfortunately, one later died on the way to the hospital due to the volume of fumes inhaled,’’ he said.
Fadipe advised the public to stop taking avoidable risks, urging them to notify the appropriate agencies whenever there was an emergency. (NAN)
MIO/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)