Emergency crews in southwest China's Chongqing failed to cap a leaking gas
well on their first attempt and decided to try new tactics this morning.
Firefighters work on a water
pipeline near a leaking gas well in southwest
China's Chongqing
Municipality. Emergency
crews on 27th March failed to cap the well, and more than 10,000
residents who were evacuated had to remain away from their homes.
[Xinhua] |
There was no immediate word
on what went wrong with the attempt to stop the leak.
According to the new plan worked out last night, workers will pour slurry and
cement into the underground through the mouth of the Luojia No. 2 well located
in Gaoqiao Town of Kaixian County.
Over 10,000 residents living within 1 kilometer of the well were evacuated as
a precaution. No casualties were reported.
Workers earlier ignited the escaping gas to avoid the possibility of a
pressure buildup and explosion.
Gas began leaking on Saturday from the well, which belongs to the China
National Petroleum Corporation Sichuan Provincial Petroleum Administration.
It is near the site of a deadly gas blow out that killed 243 people in 2003.
Chongqing's environmental protection department set up seven monitoring posts
within 4 kilometers of the leak to check airborne gas levels.
The State Administration of Work Safety has asked the CNPC to monitor
pressure changes in a nearby gas well, keep a close check on gas levels in the
air and report any increases immediately so the evacuation area can be enlarged
in a timely manner.