According to media reports, there was an explosion on a gas pipeline in northern Lithuania. Firefighters and rescuers were working on the fire that broke out on the main connection line with neighboring Latvia, Lithuanian radio reported today. According to preliminary information, no one was injured in the incident near the town of Pasvalys, and there is still no information on the cause of the explosion.
Photos and videos on social media showed a huge blaze, which the broadcaster said was about 50 meters high and visible from several kilometers away. According to the Lithuanian gas network operator Amber Grid, the gas supply to the pipeline was interrupted and the supply to Latvia was temporarily suspended.
Initial assessments did not point to sabotage as the reason for the explosion. An investigation will cover all possible options, said Nemunas Biknius, CEO of Amber Grid. Repair work should start over the weekend and be completed within a few days. Gas supply during that period is guaranteed, he said.
After the explosion, authorities closed a nearby highway and evacuated a village about a kilometer from the pipeline as a precaution. There is no immediate danger of the flames spreading to residential areas, the mayor of Pasvalys district told Lithuanian radio. Residents of other nearby towns were urged to close their windows and stay indoors.