A major fire has broken out on a gas pipeline between the Shola area and the city of Deir ez-Zor in northeastern Syria. The flames rose high above the desert area and were visible from a great distance, Syrian state television reported.
The fire started on Monday evening, September 28. Initial reports said the cause was unknown. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene, but they were unable to immediately bring the fire under control due to the intense heat. According to Syrian state television, the first step to completely extinguish the fire would be to cut off the gas flow and reduce the pressure in the pipeline.
The Syrian state news agency SANA later quoted Hisham al-Saleh, head of the gas sector at the Syrian National Oil Company. He said the fire was caused by the explosion of a sectional valve, which the company described as a "sabotage act." The claim has not been confirmed by an independent investigation.
The teams have isolated the area before and after the fire and are continuing to work on extinguishing it while the pressure in the gas pipeline decreases. As of the latest reports, there are no reports of casualties, and the extent of damage to the facility has not yet been specified.
The incident affects an important area of the Syrian gas infrastructure. In the area between Shola and Deir ez-Zor, there are facilities and pipelines related to gas production and transportation. The interruption of the supply to the power plants could affect the operation of the energy system, but there is currently no official announcement about the scale or duration of the consequences.
Sources: Syria Television, SANA