Three Injured As CNG-Powered Vehicle Explodes In Benin

…illegally modified vehicle caused incident- CNG C’ttee

Tragedy struck on Wednesday evening in Benin City, Edo State, following the explosion of a Compressed Natural Gas, CNGpowered vehicle at a NIPCO Filling Station at the Ikpoba Hill area, on the Benin -Auchi Expressway.

In a viral video making the rounds on social media, the vehicle was seen shattered while people around the vicinity ran for their lives as the loud sound of the explosion created panic among residents in the vicinity.

Three persons who sustained various degrees of injuries were said to have been rushed to a private hospital in the area for medical attention. This is coming on the heels of safety concerns raised about the conversion of petrol-powered vehicles to CNG as advocated for by the Federal Government.

Reacting through the Social Media Platform X (formerly Twitter ) the Presidential CNG Initiative, while commiserating with the victims noted that the unfortunate incident involved an illegally modified vehicle, adding that safe handling of all hydrocarbon is critical to their safe use.

The statement reads: “The PCNGI commiserate with those injured in this avoidable incident and thankful that no lives were lost. The PCNGI also note that safe handling of all hydrocarbon is critical to their safe use.

“A close examination of the cylinder in question in Benin City shows it was welded and modified and not an approved one for use for CNG.

The police, regulatory authorities and management of NIPCO are undertaking a painstaking investigation of the incident and we are coordinating with them.