More than 50 people have been killed in an explosion at an illegal oil refinery in southeastern Nigeria. An unknown number of people were also injured. Regional government representatives and police officers announced this on Saturday, the AP news agency reported. According to the Nigerian newspaper Punch more than a hundred may have been killed.
A fire that broke out Friday night on the grounds of the illegal oil refinery spread to two fuel storage facilities, which caused an explosion and fires in the area.
It is not yet known how the fire started. An investigation into the cause and the exact number of deaths and injuries is underway. According to a spokesman for the police of the state of Imo, all victims are involved in illegal activities. The police are looking for the owner of the complex and want to question him or her.
There are many illegal oil refineries operating in Nigeria and secretive tapping of pipelines often causes accidents. An explosion at another clandestine oil depot in October killed 25 people.