Iran has began repairing a gas pipeline in the south of the country, which was damaged over the weekend from an explosion caused by a fire.
According to a media report, a production manager at the National Iranian South Oil Co. (NISOC), has stated that renovation of the 42 inches gas transfer pipelines of Aghar and Dalan gas fields, in the southern province of Bushehr, has started and the company is currently procuring the required facilities.
The fire which led the pipeline to explode near the town of Gonaveh on Saturday, was swiftly brought under control and did not cause any fatalities, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) earlier stated.
The news agency amended its previous report in which it quoted a local official as saying that at least one person was killed.
Tehran’s oil ministry’s news agency Shana separately quoted the head of the Health, Safety & Environment department at Gachsaran Oil and Gas Company, Mohammad Mohseni as saying: “The fire started at 00:45 … and was fully contained at 05:00.”
“There has been no fatality. In total four people were injured,” he said.
Mohseni said the polyethylene facilities and the sour gas pipelines in vicinity of the gas pipeline were not damaged.
He said the fire and blast occurred during maintenance operations and a committee had been set up to investigate it further.
A local official told state TV that the explosion was not an act of sabotage and “nearby villages have been evacuated as a safety measure.”
