Julius Berger explains gas pipeline rupture on LSE

Julius Berger Nigeria Plc on Thursday said that the situation at the scene of Wednesday’s gas pipeline rupture on the Lagos-Shagamu Expressway (LSE) has been put under control even as normalcy has returned to the area.

On Wednesday, there was a case of gas pipeline rupture around Punch area in Magboro on the busy highway under rehabilitation and reconstruction by the construction company.

The Federal Road Safety Corps in a statement had said that the pipeline got burst while men of Julius Berger, the construction company working on Lagos-Shagamu expressway was excavating a surface for the worksite.

But while commenting on the development, the Traffic Coordinator, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Mr Solace Onu disclosed that the damage to the pipeline could have been avoided had there been a sign warning the constructors of a pipeline underground the area.

“Our workers were working on one of the several diversions we are creating to ease traffic flow on the main project when the bulldozer scraped a gas pipeline. There was no warning or indication that there was a gas pipeline there. Besides, our bulldozer was just doing minor grading of an already existing earth road to make driving on the diversion easier for motorists. We discovered that the pipeline was not deep into the soil”, Onu added.

When contracted on the ruptured pipeline at the Lagos-Shagamu Expressway near Punch at Magboro area,

Also, Julius Berger’s Spokesman, Prince Moses Duku said: “We (Julius Berger) are aware of the accidental rupture of the pipeline at the LSE, and our company has, indeed, moved immediately with the swiftness of desirable action to fix the ruptured pipe even as we speak.

“We appeal to motorists to remain calm as Gaslink has been notified of the incident and all efforts are being made in conjunction with other relevant agencies to secure and fix the site today (Wednesday)”, he said.