Fire engulfs house in Rawalpindi after oil pipeline explodes

RAWALPINDI: A huge fire engulfed a house in Rawalpindi’s Dhamial area after a pipeline of an oil refinery exploded in the residential area on Monday, Geo News reported.

No death or injury has been reported so far as the area's residents were safely evacuated from their homes. Thick smoke could be seen billowing from the affected house.

Rescue officials said six emergency vehicles including three fire tenders arrived to douse the fire. More fire tenders were dispatched to the site of the incident, they said.

The rescue officials said more than 12 rescue officials took part in the firefighting operation. They managed to contain the fire after a three hours-long firefighting operation, they maintained.

“Rescue and fire brigade personnel are present at the spot. Oil spilled due to a burst in the supply line, efforts to control the fire are underway,” rescue officials said.

The officials said the firefighters had contained the fire, however, it re-erupted after it was doused. They said the relevant organisations were told to shut down the oil supply in the pipeline.

The pipeline’s bursting has spilled oil in the area’s street spreading a malodorous odour. An additional contingent of police has also been called in the area.

After more than three hours, rescue officials said the fire was contained and a cooling process was underway at the site of the incident.

Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaqat Ali Chatha said oil pipelines passed through the residential area. The affected house was abandoned and somebody tried to steal oil by puncturing the pipeline during which the fire erupted, he added.

The commissioner said the oil refinery was sent a letter before as well to remove the pipelines from the residential area.

“Now we will make a permanent policy on the matter. The area where the pipeline passes through is empty but people have built houses alongside it,” he said.

Chatha said no life loss took place as the rescue officials reached the spot on time.