A fire triggered by underground gas emerging during the installation of a deep tube well in Inani, Ukhiya, remained uncontrolled even after 60 hours, prompting the local administration to establish a security perimeter around the site.
The Upazila administration is installing barbed-wire fencing around the affected area, extending 200 metres from the source of the fire, to reduce the risk of accidents. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX) collected gas samples on Wednesday afternoon, October 28, for analysis.
Construction of the security perimeter began on Thursday morning, October 29, around the gas-emission site near the Chhotokhal Bridge in Jaliapalong Union of Ukhiya Upazila.
Electricity supply to an approximately 15-kilometre area stretching from Monkhali to Patuartek was restored late Wednesday night after remaining suspended for 36 hours. The precautionary shutdown had affected nearly 4,000 families because of fears that the flames could spread to nearby power lines.
According to local residents and administrative sources, the incident began at around 6:30 am on Tuesday, October 27, when gas started escaping forcefully from underground during the installation of a deep tube well at the homestead of Mohammad Abdullah near Chhotokhal Bridge in Inani.
The escaping gas subsequently caught fire. Four units of the Fire Service, along with police and army personnel, arrived at the scene after receiving information about the incident. However, continuous gas emissions have prevented them from bringing the fire under control.
S. M. Nafifun Arham, BAPEX manager (geology) and head of the geological survey team, said preliminary assessments suggested that drilling had reached a gas-bearing layer at a depth of approximately 1,000 feet. Gas may have travelled to the surface through underground fractures.
However, he cautioned that the nature, composition and estimated reserves of the gas could not be determined without laboratory analysis.
He also warned that attempting to forcibly stop the gas flow or pressure could cause gas to escape through other weak points underground, potentially triggering a major accident. For this reason, authorities are prioritising public safety and keeping people away from the hazardous area.
Kaizar Nur, deputy general manager (DGM) of Ukhiya Palli Bidyut Samity, said electricity was suspended as a precaution against the possibility of flames spreading to power lines. The supply was restored on Wednesday night after the situation was assessed.
Panna Akter, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Ukhiya, said barbed-wire fencing was being installed to secure the area within a 200-metre radius of the gas-fire source.
She added that public access to the hazardous zone had been restricted and that authorities were monitoring the situation in accordance with advice from BAPEX experts.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Daily Best News Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
