The management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), has confirmed the incident that occurred at the Port Harcourt Refining Company on Wednesday morning was a flare incident and not an explosion as reported.
The company also further clarified the incident bore no harm to its members of staff or the general public. This was contained in a statement signed by Olufemi Soneye, the company’s Chief Corporate communications officer.
The statement read in part “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) has refuted reports of an explosion at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) in Rivers State. The company clarified what occurred was a flaring incident which has since been contained.
“There is no danger or health hazard to staff, the surrounding communities, or the environment.”
It would be recalled that a video of the facility seemingly on fire had earlier circulated leading to speculations of an explosion.
