Tank fire raises serious questions

By Staff Writer 05 April 2016, 12:00AM

A businessman has called on the government to launch a full inquiry into what caused yesterday’s blaze at the Matautu wharf.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer on the condition of anonymity, the businessman has also called on Petroleum Products Supplies Ltd (P.P.S) to step up their game in terms of monitoring and ensuring the safety of Samoa when it comes to fuel storage.

“It was only a matter of time,” he said about what happened yesterday. 

“The government needs to be careful, it needs to wake up. The whole of Apia could have blown up and innocent people could have been killed.”

The businessman added that with the fuel pipes running along Beach Road towards Sogi, that could have placed thousands of lives at risk.

In a statement issued by P.P.S last night, it vehemently denied that the lives of members of the public were at risk.

But the businessman disagrees.

“I think it is negligence,” he said. “And someone has to be accountable for it. Regardless of what they say, people’s lives were at risk. You cannot tell me that safety was secured with what we saw today. It’s impossible.”

The businessman went on to say that the next area the government should look at when it comes to fuel storage is the Faleolo International Airport.

“This will happen again if they are only going to dismiss it and say it’s nothing. What happened today was major. We should be worried.”

By Staff Writer 05 April 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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