KARACHI:
The fire that broke out during water boring near Korangi Crossing could not be extinguished even on the second day. According to KMC Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan, the intensity of the fire is still maintained.
Leading industry professionals said the blaze would die on its own once the shallow gas burns out.
The skyrocketing blaze erupted in the early hours of Saturday when workers of a construction company were boring for a tube well at a depth of more than 1,100 feet.
Officials maintain that the relevant agencies are investigating what kind of gas reservoir is underground. The fire has been contained. The situation is under control. There is no population in the vicinity.
Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi and Mayor Murtaza Wahab addressed a press conference at the Commissioner’s Office along with Deputy Commissioner Korangi Masood Bhutto, Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) Managing Director Zahid Mir, and a senior official of the Sui Southern Gas Company.
Commissioner Karachi stated that the fire broke out at 2:15am on Saturday, and as soon as the authorities were informed, the district administration and KMC Fire Brigade swiftly responded. Firefighters and necessary personnel are still present at the site.
Experts have indicated that the underground fire is due to gas mixing with underground water. They further mentioned that such incidents have occurred in the past as well.
The fire incident took place in an empty plot with no residential area nearby, which is why no loss of life or property has been reported.
Mayor Karachi stated that they are actively monitoring the situation and emphasized the need to identify the gas source. He assured that no damage has been done to the infrastructure. A team is currently analyzing the water that caught fire, and staff is still present on-site. He urged citizens not to visit the location and not to panic.
PRL MD Zahid Mir mentioned that the fire site is very close to an oil refinery, and it appears to be caused by shallow gas. Similar incidents have occurred in the past in this area. He explained that such fires usually extinguish on their own within one to three weeks once the gas depletes.
He further assured that the entire area has been secured, and the situation is expected to resolve in a few days. He emphasized the need to drain the water to prevent further complications.
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