The explosion occurred around 5 pm on Friday in the village of Pasvalio Vienkiemiai, in northern Lithuania. So far no injuries have been reported. The nearby village of Valakėliai was evacuated. The flames must have been visible at a distance of 17 kilometers and stood 50 meters in the air. The cause of the explosion is not yet known. So far, no signs of sabotage have been found, according to the operator. – According to the immediate investigations, we see no malicious intent, but the investigation will review all possible causes, says Amber Grid CEO Nemunas Biknius, according to Reuters. He states on Friday evening that the fire that started after the explosion has been extinguished. So far, no injuries or fatalities have been reported following the explosion. The fire service is on the scene in case the fire spreads, writes Reuters. – A high-pressure gas pipeline exploded near Valakėlia in the Pasvalis district. It is located next to the road Pasvalys – Šiauliai, district mayor Gintautas Gegužinskas writes on Facebook. The mayor of the district of Pasvalys, Gintautas Gegužinskas, tells LRT radio that people in the area heard sounds reminiscent of low-altitude aircraft before the explosion. Photo: Gintautas Gegužinskas / Facebook Investigated In a press release, Amber Grid writes that the explosion is now being investigated. – At the moment we are focusing on minimizing the consequences and ensuring safety. We immediately informed the authorities about the situation. We will provide more details about the incident when we have more details, says CEO Biknius. According to Amber Grid, the explosion occurred in one of two parallel pipelines. The pipeline carries gas to Latvia and the northern part of Lithuania, and the supply of gas was stopped immediately when the explosion occurred. The company further writes that residents of the Pasvalys district already receive gas through the parallel pipeline, which is not damaged. At the same time, a spokesperson for the company says that the explosion could cause problems for the gas supply to Latvia and northern Lithuania. Analyst Sindre Knutsson in Rystad Energy writes in an SMS to news that the explosion does not affect the supply of gas to Europe: – Nevertheless, it is reported that only one of two parallel pipes is affected and that the incident will have less effect.
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Explosion in gas pipeline between Latvia and Lithuania – several evacuated – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
