Flammable gas leak from water well in Terengganu

A water well digger was shocked when the well he was digging in Kampung Padang Macang, Manir started producing a mysterious gas.

What’s more shocking to Musa Omar, 48, was that the gas could also cause fire if a spark were present.

Musa said he had been digging the well since 9am and had reached the depth of 11 metres when he heard a weird sound inside the well.

“I tried to identify the source of the sound by using a PVC pipe and I heard the sound like gases coming out from the well even clearly,” he told reporters at the scene.

Musa said just by using a tiny spark from his lighter, the odourless gas emitted from the end of the pipe was proven to be flammable and could cause a fire.

Checks at the scene revealed that apart from local residents, a number of police personnel, fire and rescue squad and representatives of Terengganu Geosciences and Mineral Department, has also flocked the area to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, operation officer from Kuala Terengganu Fire and Rescue Station Mohd Fauzi Muda said they received the call about the incident at around noon and a seven-member fire squad was rushed to the scene.

“We are still investigating the source and the type of the gas emitting from the well, with the cooperation from the Geosciences and Mineral Department, the Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) Unit and the Land and Mineral Department,” he said.

Although the gas was not dangerous, the authority had also taken a precautionary measure by closing the area to the public, he added.

– Bernama