KARACHI: The fire near Korangi Creek reportedly in the gas reserve under ground could not be doused after passing of almost 10 hours.
Authorities have temporarily halted firefighting efforts due to extreme heat, fire brigade officials said on Saturday, today..
The fire brigade officials said that the blaze had erupted during a 1,200-foot deep excavation in the wee hours of Saturday.
No casualties have been reported so far and the scale of fire has neither increased nor decreased significantly.
Officials admitted facing serious challenges in controlling the blaze and are now working with multiple agencies to devise a new containment strategy.
Meanwhile, workers and others near the excavation site have been moved to safety.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire or the type of gas leaking from the ground.
While fire brigade officials confirmed the presence of a gas leak, they were unable to specify its type.
However, experts say that the leakage could be from a shallow underground gas reserve.
The matter will first be investigated by relevant authorities linked to the “zero gas factor,” after which the Petroleum Division will conduct a further inquiry.
Meanwhile, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) issued a statement confirming that no gas pipeline or installation belonging to them was located near the site.
Initially, firefighters attempted to douse the flames with water, but officials said this only intensified the heat.
The strategy was later shifted to using soil and sand to smother the fire.
More than 10 fire tenders along with multiple water tankers participated in fire extinguishing operation.
However, this too has proven ineffective, as the high gas pressure causes the flames to resurface.
Experts warn that without properly identifying the gas and its source, the risk of the fire reigniting remains high.
Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi and Korangi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Masood Bhutto visited the site to review the situation.
Talking to the media, the Commissioner said that if a permit exists for such deep boring, it will be verified.
Hassan also assured that an investigation would be conducted to determine which authority granted permission for such deep boring.
The blaze, which was previously believed to have erupted out of a gas pipeline after being damaged during underground drilling, has proved extremely difficult to control.
Senior Fire Officer Muhammad Zafar termed the fire “mysterious”, saying that it could not be ascertained yet as to which pipeline had been affected.
