Gas erupts during tube-well drilling in Inani, fire intensifies

A fire broke out after a strong flow of gas emerged from underground during deep tube-well drilling at a house in Inani, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred at the courtyard of local resident Mohammad Abdullah’s house. The fire was still burning around 1pm, nearly six hours after it started, as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze.

Syed Muhammad Morshed Hossain, Deputy Assistant Director of the Cox’s Bazar Fire Service, said firefighters were continuing their efforts to control the fire. Three units were deployed at the scene.

Electricity supply to the entire area was disconnected as a safety measure because of the fire and the risk posed by a 33,000-volt transmission line running beside the site.

Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Panna Akter said the administration had taken necessary measures to secure the site and prevent the fire from spreading. Law enforcement agencies were also working to control crowds gathering to witness the incident.

A team from the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX) was on its way to the site to assess the situation, she added.

According to local sources, work on installing a deep tube well had been underway beside the courtyard of Mohammad Abdullah, son of Habibullah, a former chairman of Baharchhara Union Parishad in Teknaf.

When drilling reached a depth of nearly 1,000 feet on Tuesday morning, a gas-like substance suddenly began emerging from underground. A fire broke out shortly afterwards, spreading alarm in the area.

Abdullah said workers were drilling the tube well when they suddenly noticed gas emerging from underground.

“At one point, it caught fire. I then informed the Fire Service. They arrived and tried to control the fire, but it has not yet been extinguished,” he said.

Saidul Islam, Station Officer of Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the area has residential houses and is also frequented by tourists, making it essential to prevent the fire from spreading and keep people nearby alert.

Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Ukhiya Abu Abdullah said a Fire Service team was on its way from Dhaka to assist in bringing the fire under control.

Eyewitness Siraj said he saw the fire burning intensely early in the morning and alerted the Fire Service. He added that the heat from the fire was continuing to increase.

Belal Uddin, a beach worker, said the fire had intensified and was beyond the Fire Service’s control.

The cause of the gas release and the nature of the substance emerging from underground have yet to be scientifically confirmed.