Shell Fire in Yorla Ogoni Nigeria

national | environment | opinion/analysis Monday October 09, 2006 12:29 by m.m.mccarron - o.s.i.

The Flames of Shell/ Beware Bellanaboy

A fire has been raging in Ogoni for weeks at a Shell wellhead in Yorla.

The Flames of Shell are the Flames of Hell, the words of Ken Saro-Wiwa. Close to his home a Shell fire has been burning for several weeks. It has affected villages and villagers and the local water has been affected. Fires happen at well heads and along pipelines. It is very difficult to put out fires either out of lack of will, lack of machinery and difficulty of access. Oil and gas exploration is an accident prone and dirty industry. Does Ireland need it? Look at Prudue Bay and Yorla as stories of what may be in Erris.