There has been an explosion in a gas pipeline that runs between Lithuania and Latvia, the Lithuanian operator Amber Grid says, reports Reuters.
The explosion occurred in the town of Valakelie at 17:57 Norwegian time, writes Lithuania’s largest newspaper Lietuvos Rytas. No injuries have been reported, but 250 residents are being evacuated.
Laura Šebekienė in Amber Grid tells TV 2 that it is calm at the site and that no one was in the area in question when it exploded.
– I cannot say anything about the incident because the matter is under investigation by the police. I therefore cannot say whether we suspect sabotage or not. But everyone is safe and no one is injured, she says.
Have control
The flames are 50 meters into the air, according to the newspaper. The fire brigade is working on the scene.
According to Šebekienė, the fire service has the situation under control.
– The residents who get gas from that area will get all the gas they need from another place in the meantime.
The town is located in the Pasvalio district.
– Sorry
In a press release Amber Grid states that the on-site gas transmission system consists of two parallel pipelines.
– Based on the initial information, it may appear that the explosions took place in one of them. The other is not injured, it is reported.
It must be through the second pipeline that the affected consumers get gas through now.
The gas supply was immediately cut off after the explosion.
Nemunas Bikinus is CEO of Amber Grid. He confirms that the gas supply to those affected was secured immediately.
– We apologize for this incident in the gas pipeline system. We immediately began investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and securing the gas supply.
– We informed the authorities immediately after the incident. We will provide more details about the incident when we have more information, says the press release.
