Blaze hits Nigerian oil terminal

A huge fire has broken out today at ChevronTexaco’s main oil terminal, just days after unarmed village women ended a 10-day siege that crippled the oil giant’s Nigeria operations.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze at the multi-million euro Escravos terminal in south-eastern Nigeria.

Nearby villagers said the fire broke out during an early morning lightning storm. But company officials declined to comment.

Jameslove Kperegbeyi, a contract worker at the facility, said a bolt of lightning struck the fuel tanks, igniting the blaze that sent giant flames and a towering pillar of black smoke into the sky.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The fire was the latest blow to a company facing a series of takeovers at its Nigerian facilities.