'Eye of fire' burns in Gulf of Mexico after underwater pipeline ruptures
Environmentalists say that it is too early to determine how much damage the oceanic fireball has caused.
A jarring scene formed in the Gulf of Mexico on July 2 when an underwater gas pipeline ruptured and released a subaquatic fireball.
Boats were deployed to spray the flames to prevent oxygen from further fueling the fire.
The pipeline belongs to Petróleos Mexicanos, also known as Pemex, which is an oil company that is state-owned by Mexico. As reported by Reuters, the company states that the leak occurred near a drilling platform and that the flames were extinguished after five hours.
Angel Carrizales, head of Mexico's oil safety regulator ASEA, tweeted that the ruptured pipeline "did not generate any spill,” but did not explain how the fire on the ocean’s surface occurred.
Pemex has stated that it will be investigating the cause of the fire.
With files from Reuters
Thumbnail credit: Manuel Lopez San Martin
