February 21, 2025
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has announced that the fire outbreak at Cawthorne Channel 1 has been contained and no casualties were recorded.
The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, disclosed in statement that the fire incident occurred at approximately 14.10 hours on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.
Excerpts from the statement read “Fire Outbreak at Cawthorne Channel 1 Barges Successfully Contained”
“At approximately 14:10 hours on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, a fire broke out on the dry crude storage barge BESTAF5 at Cawthorne Channel 1, Rivers State, spreading to other barges.
Thanks to the swift response of our emergency teams and industry partners, the fire was successfully contained. The incident did not impact on flow station operations.
Soneye, acknowledged thare were no casualties and all personnel working on the said barges are all safe, asserting that the NNPCL prioritizes the safety.
READ MORE; NNPC Refutes Report Of Explosion At Warri Refinery.
“NNPC Ltd. prioritizes safety and remains fully committed to environmental protection and operational integrity.”
Explosions rocked the two stations near the Cawthorne Channel off the coast of Bonny in Rivers State, Wednesday night.
The blasts reportedly destroyed several facilities at the flow station, located around 30 nautical miles from Bonny’s coastline and raised fears of possible casualties.
The Cawthorne Channel is a major hub for oil and gas facilities, situated near the boundary between Bonny and Degema Local Government Areas in Rivers State.
In the videos, conversations suggested that heat from a welding operation may have ignited the rapid spread of the fire.
Officials from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited were reportedly alerted by locals and visited the site.
Rivers State Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, had Confirmed the incident and stated that investigations were ongoing.
