The people of Iloamatoru Community and surrounding communities in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State are grappling with the devastating aftermath of a fire explosion that erupted at the Cawthorne Channel 1 Flow Station on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

During a visit by Kristina Reports to inspect the scene of the inferno on Monday, February 24, 2025, it was discovered that the fire had created life-threatening situations, halting livelihoods and severely disrupting the ecosystem.

The environmental degradation was evident, with the harsh stench of oil spills filling the air, causing nausea and an overwhelming sense of distress.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing loud explosions before a raging fire engulfed parts of the waterway. Fishermen and other residents were forced to flee, as boats, fishing nets, and other property were consumed by the flames.

The fire has since led to a massive oil spill, with crude oil visibly flowing across the waterways and spreading into creeks, rivers and rivulets, further complicating the environmental crisis.

Kristina Reports learnt that the incidented facility at Cawthorne Channel 1 is linked to the flow station at Alakiri in Okrika LGA which was earlier affected by a fire outbreak the previous week.

Both facilities are owned by the NNPCL, NNPC 18 Limited, OML 18 Energy with Sahara Group, Erotono Exploration & Production Company Limited.

The owners of the facility had initially brought relief materials as part of a remediation package, but the community rejected them, citing that they were inadequate compared to the scale of destruction.

One of the leaders of the Iloamatoru Community and former Chairman of the community’s Surveillance Committee, Daniel Pollyn confirmed that discussions are ongoing between the affected communities and representatives of the NNPCL.

“They promised to get back to us. We are now waiting for them to return after the Damage Impact Verification (DIV), which is scheduled to take place between Tuesday and Wednesday”.

“We expect them to start the necessary environmental restoration immediately after the DIV because the devastation is immense, the fishermen, periwinkle harvesters, and other small businesses have all been severely affected”.

He also noted that no safety officer is assigned to the site.

“There are no agency officers, no safety officers ensuring proper work procedures before operations begin. That place is as dangerous as anything. Anything can happen at any time. They need to engage safety officials to prevent further disasters,”

Chairman of Ilomatoru Community Cawthorne Channel 1, Harrington Jumbo noted that they’ve not been fishing for days.

“The oil spill has made it impossible to catch fish, even those of us who had nets in the water, the fire burnt everything, nets, boats, all gone.”

The devastation extends beyond financial losses, a mother of the community, Josephine Amachree, a mother of seven, recounted how the fire incident has brought her family to the brink of collapse.

“My husband developed high blood pressure because of this incident. He’s in the hospital now, and if not for the love and care from the king of this community, I don’t know what would have become of us”.

“Our fishing equipment is gone.

By this fire incident all the nets my husband bought is burnt down even the boat itself is burnt to ashes, I used to support my family through periwinkle harvesting, but now, I have nothing left. My children just brought home school fee demands, and I had no choice but to take the letter to the king for help.”

As the community awaits further engagement from the oil company, residents continue to endure the economic hardship and environmental damage caused by the fire. With crude oil still visibly flowing on the waterways, concerns are growing about long-term pollution and its effects on marine life and human health.

The people are demanding urgent intervention, environmental remediation, and adequate compensation for their losses. For now, they are left to struggle against the twin crises of ecological destruction and economic collapse