A natural gas pipeline of GAIL (India) caught fire here on Friday after it was ruptured by construction activity near it.
The fire raged for about an hour and half near the Vekateshwara College near Dhaula Kuan in Delhi, before it was brought under control. Around 12 fire brigades were deployed to bring the fire under control. While no casualties or injuries occurred, a few vehicles around the area were damaged.
A GAIL statement immediately after the incident stated, that the fire was due to a third party drilling activity without prior permission taken by the agency from GAIL, in spite of the pipeline warning markers located in close proximity to the site.
The company said later in the evening that restoration work of the damaged pipeline section is proceeding has been proceeding. “The pipeline section has been purged with nitrogen and thus the area has been made safe for undertaking repair work which is expected to be complete in another 24 hours,” it added.
Supply was not affected apart from some commercial and industrial consumers of IGL and a few CNG stations.
Construction activity near the pipeline was being carried out by PWD appointed Hindustan Construction Company which had hired workers of a local contractor.