Large Explosion At Lithuanian Gas Pipeline, 2023

In the Pasvalys region of northern Lithuania, near the border with Latvia, there was a big explosion.

Local media images showed flames illuminating the night sky, but officials said there were no injuries due to the incident.

Inara Murniece, Latvia’s Defense Minister, said on Twitter that the reason for the incident would be probed and sabotage could not be ruled out.

However, the pipeline’s operator stated that the explosion was not suspicious.

“Based on our preliminary findings, we do not believe there is a malicious reason,” Amber Grid CEO Nemunas Biknius told reporters. “We find no indications of any potential external influence.”

More Info In The Following Days After The Explosion

Mr. Biknius stated that the pipeline, erected in 1978, had just undergone some maintenance work and that officials would investigate if this contributed to the blast.

“In the following days, all factors will be investigated and clarified,” Mr. Biknius said.

He went on to say that the gas supply to the pipeline had been shut off, that the fire had died down after four hours, and that authorities and specialists studying the incident had found no evidence of purposeful damage to the pipeline.

Amber Grid stated that the explosion occurred in one of the pipeline’s two parallel systems. The other was unscathed. Amber Grid said the blast had taken “away from any residential premises”.

Work Being Done When It Happened

The mayor of Pasvalys district, Gintautas Geguzinskas, told LRT that he didn’t have any specific information on the cause of the blast but added that residents had told him “they noticed some work being done near the pipeline where the explosion happened”.

Flames could be seen rising 50 meters (160 feet) into the air in footage obtained by the LRT news channel. The explosion was also said to be seen from up to 17 kilometers (11 miles) distant.

Village Will Be Evacuated

Meanwhile, the BNS news agency says that the nearby village of Valakelie will have to be evacuated. The population of the town is approximately 700 people.

Around 21:00 local time, firefighters extinguished the flames (19:00 GMT).

Amber Grid, which is Lithuania’s national gas company, uses the pipeline to send gas to the north of the country and to feed Latvia, which is right next door.

An alternate pipeline supplies consumers in the area.

SOURCE  – (BBC)