‘Chevron explosion a technical error’

Indications emerged yesterday that the explosion that occurred at the Chevron gas facility at Escravos, in Warri South-West Local Council area of Delta State, was caused by technical error.

Chevron’s General Manager, Policies, Government and Public Affairs, Deji Haastrap, however said it was not chemical explosion, but a fire outbreak.

Sources close to The Guardian revealed that,some of the causal workers who died in the process, were not properly trained to do the jobs assigned to them, and may have inadvertently triggered the error
that caused the explosion.

It would be recalled that the explosion, which claimed two lives, injurd several others, who are currently receiving treatment at the firm’s health facilities in Warri.

An attempt to get information from Chevron officials in their Warri office was rebuffed. Also phone calls made to three lines of its officials were not answered.

Haastrap, in an earlier statement confirmed the death of one and an injured staff, but emerging reports say two people died while several casual
workers were injured.

There were initial fears that militants may have caused the explosion, but security agencies and officials of the oil firm yesterday ruled out sabotage, but an accident.

The extent of damage to the facility could not be

ascertained yesterday, but a section of it has been reportedly shut down.