TheCable

Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, an engineering construction company, has faulted a lack of warning sign for the gas pipeline explosion around the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

TheCable had reported how a gas pipeline leak around Magboro area, created panic among residents and led to traffic congestion on the expressway, on Wednesday.

Kehinde Hamzat, commander, Lagos-Ibadan-Egbeda corridor of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said the pipeline “got burst while men of Julius Berger, the construction company working on Lagos-Ibadan expressway were excavating a surface for worksite”.

But in a statement on Thursday, the company said the incident was caused as a result of lack of clear signs.

Solace Onu, the company’s traffic coordinator, said the damage to the pipeline could have been avoided had there been a sign warning the constructors of a pipeline underground the area.

He said the company’s bulldozer was involved in minor grading of an already existing earth road when it hit the pipeline which “was not deep into the soil”.

“Our workers were working on one of the several diversions we are creating to ease traffic flow on the main project when the bulldozer scraped a gas pipeline,” he said.

“There was no warning or indication that there was a gas pipeline there. Besides, our bulldozer was just doing minor grading of an already existing earth road to make driving on the diversion easier for motorists. We discovered that the pipeline was not deep into the soil.”

Moses Duku, the company’s spokesman, said efforts were immediately made after the explosion to restore normalcy.

He said the company is working with all relevant agencies in fixing the damage in the area.

“We (Julius Berger) are aware of the accidental rupture of the pipeline at the LSE (Lagos-Sagamu expressway), and our company has, indeed, moved immediately with the swiftness of desirable action to fix the ruptured pipe even as we speak,” he said.

“We appeal to motorists to remain calm as Gaslink has been notified of the incident and all efforts are being made in conjunction with other relevant agencies to secure and fix the site today (Wednesday).

“We therefore advise motorists and pedestrians to kindly steer clear of the site and consider alternate routes which we have put in place. We will provide updates to this information as the repair work progresses.”

Members of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Federal Fire Service and other agencies had swung into action to avert any danger from the explosion.

The company said the incident has been put under control and normalcy has returned to the area.

It added that the closed sections of the road are yet to be reopened, describing it as a “necessary precautionary measure”.