4/10/2006: Nigerian pipeline break

[floatingk]

I reckon thats diesel due to the color, so smoke away, cuz it wont do much. I believe it needs compression or extreme heat to ingite...

[Elspode]

If I recall correctly, Nigerian pipelines are often punctured on purpose precisely to allow the people to steal fuel. Pipelines are also frequent targets of attack by rebels.

There have also been flaming disasters that killed dozens, if not hundreds, during such incidents. It is apparently not a rare occurance. In fact, here's one such recent story, albeit without the fire. Probably the incident which spawned the pic, here.

I remember seeing similar and worse news reports for years.

[Elspode]

A more horrific incident briefly related:

Pipeline explosions
Soon after, in a situation akin to Armageddon, an oil pipeline punctured by vandals exploded north of the Abia state capital Umuahia, killing 125 villagers. Most of them were peasant villagers who attempted to scoop oil for sale in order to better their lives. About the same period, dozens of people were killed in a petroleum pipeline explosion in a village near Lagos. The explosion happened as thieves tried to siphon petrol from a pipeline belonging to state oil company, NNPC. If the flame was horrendous, the mangled and charred bodies of victims were more horrifying.

From here...