PESHAWAR: The supply of natural gas to many parts of the provincial capital remained suspended for several hours on Saturday after a massive fire broke out in the main pipeline.

The gas utility, SNGPL, restored the supply to the relief of the residents amid the chilly winter.

The fire incident also disrupted gas supply to CNG filling stations forcing transport drivers to stay off the roads.

The police and Rescue 1122 insisted that the main gas pipeline in the Chamkani area caught fire at around 8:45am.

“It was a massive fire. Our firefighters tried to douse the flames for around four hours but they were controlled only after the main pipeline valve was turned off by the SNGPL,” an official of Rescue 1122 told Dawn.

SNGPL insists drilling by cable operators caused gas leak

He said the incident was caused by a wildfire in bushes along the main pipeline.

Officials of the Chamkani police station expressed ignorance about the cause of the fire and said they hadn’t registered a case about the incident.

Officials of the SNGPL said the fire was caused by a gas leak after unidentified cable operators drilled a hole in the main pipeline.

They said the supply of natural gas to various localities was stopped due to repair of the pipeline along the GT Road near the Chamkani Flyover after the fire incident.

The areas included the Tarnab-Hashtnagri section of the GT Road, Old City, Ring Road, and Peshawar cantonment’s localities, including Governor’s House, Chief Minister’s House, Saddar, Shami Road, Dalzak Road and Charsadda Road.

The SNGPL officials claimed speedy work on the pipeline and said the gas utility had directed consumers not to use gas appliances as a precautionary measure against any damage to their life and property during the repairs.

They said staff of the engineering section reached the area shortly after learning about the gas leak and the fire and turned the main valve off for welders to repair the pipeline.

The fire incident also led to the suspension of gas supply to CNG stations disrupting the sale to drivers, including transporters.

Urban Transport Union president Khan Zaman Afridi told Dawn that most transporters opted to stay off the roads during the closure of CNG stations.

He, however, said the drivers, who used petrol, didn’t charge commuters any extra amount.

Mr Afridi said the transporters would increase fares if the gas supply to CNG stations wasn’t restored today (Sunday).

Saleem Khan, a resident of Gulshan Colony, said he learned about disruption of gas supply only waking up in the morning and awaited its resumption for long hours.

He said his area had no gas supply, so the residents struggled to make breakfast and lunch at home.

The resident demanded of authorities to ensure smooth gas supply to the population during the winter season saying children and elderly people suffered the most due to supply outages coupled with harsh weather.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2022