President General of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union, Ancel Roget, says he believes last Friday’s explosion at NP’s facility in Sea Lots was avoidable.

Hosting a press conference today, Mr. Roget blamed the management of NP for the incident, claiming the company had fallen short in following proper health and safety protocols.

“This explosion had the potential not only to injure or kill those workers, but it carried the potential to create an explosion which would have been regrettable for many months,” the OWTU President General said.

“Port-of-Spain and its environs could have gone up in smoke last Friday. That is the potential lack of regulation and proper health and safety that could have been realised as a result of NP’s failing,” he added.

National Petroleum, in response to claims of negligence, issued a statement in response to the OWTU, reaffirming that the management of NP followed all the necessary steps in treating with the incident.

It noted that an independent third party has also been contracted to conduct a thorough investigation into the explosion.

See NP’s full statement below: