Kano: Explosion at illegal modular refinery kills one, raze houses

An explosion at an illegal used engine oil modular refinery located in a densely populated area in Kano metropolis killed one person and injured several others on Monday.

It was reported that several houses were razed in the incident, which occurred at Katango area of Wailari, located along Ring Road Bypass, opposite Maryam Shekarau Estate, in Kano.

It was gathered that the fire started around 09:50 am.

It took about three hours for men of the Kano State Fire Service, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and fire workers from Salbas Petrol Station to bring the fire under control.

A dead body which was burnt beyond recognition, was later recovered from the debris.

The deceased was identified as Aminu, the driver of a truck conveying drums of used engine oil.

An eyewitness, Ahmad Umar Gaya, a personnel of the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), said he was on duty along the road when he heard an explosion.

Narrating what happened, Gaya said, “I immediately called the attention of the Kano Fire Service and directed them to the location.

“The place, which is located in the midst of residential houses at Katango in Wailari, is used to stock scraps of trucks and trailers and also to refine used engine oil for other purposes.

“No one can tell what exactly happened that led to the explosion. The trailer carrying drums of the used engine oil was gutted by the fire in which the driver was trapped and burnt beyond recognition.

“Close to the location were residential houses with women and children, and about five houses were gutted by the inferno.

“An old lady who could not walk was rescued from one of the houses and two kids were also rescued from another house when their mother ran out and left them inside, all through humanitarian efforts by onlookers. The fire incident took about three hours before it was put out.”