Damascus: Fire on Deir ez-Zor gas pipeline caused by sabotage
Authorities said sabotage caused a fire that broke out Wednesday evening on the natural gas pipeline running between Deir ez-Zor and Shula. Taking the line offline halted gas flow from the Jibsa facility to power plants.
RastinewsA fire that broke out on the natural gas pipeline linking the town of Shula, south of Deir ez-Zor, with the city center was caused by sabotage, authorities said.
Hisham Saleh, head of the gas sector at the Syrian Petroleum Company, said the fire cut gas flow from the Jibsa facility to power generation plants.
Saleh said fire crews immediately isolated the pipeline by closing valves on both sides of the blaze. He added that firefighting efforts were continuing as gas pressure in the area dropped.
No information on perpetrator
Damascus has not released any information on who carried out the sabotage or how. It has also not said when gas flow to the power plants will resume.
According to a report by Rudaw citing Syria's state news agency SANA, the fire broke out on the pipeline near Shula on Wednesday evening.
Syrian civil defense teams dispatched to the scene began firefighting efforts; no explanation for the cause of the fire was given in the initial reports.
The area between Shula and Deir ez-Zor is home to facilities and pipelines used for natural gas production and transport.