pipeline explosion
© Gintautas GegužinskasA gas pipeline exploded near Pasvalys in northern Lithuania
Open flames up to 50 metres high were seen on the site of a burst gas pipeline in northern Lithuania. A village of around 250 people is being evacuated.

The explosion was reported at around 17:00 on Friday evening in the village of Pasvalio Vienkiemiai, in the District of Pasvalys.

The explosion occurred in the Amber Grid gas main pipeline. No casualties have been reported.

"There were unexpected sounds, it seemed as if planes were flying somewhere low - a high-pressure gas pipeline exploded on the side of Valakėliai, on the Pasvalys-Šiauliai road, a couple of kilometres from Pasvalys. The flames are shooting up to a high altitude," Pasvalys District Mayor Gintautas Gegužinskas described the incident to LRT RADIO.


Comment: Notably, a similar comment was made by a resident in Russia in December when an oil refinery there also exploded: 'Suddenly there was an explosion, a glow. I thought that a plane fell on us...'


"There are no houses nearby. [...]there is no immediate danger to property. Special services are working, traffic is temporarily suspended," he continued.


The adjacent village of Valakėliai is being evacuated, Odeta Jukniutė, spokeswoman for the Panevėžys District Police, told BNS.

Valakėliai has a population of around 250 and is located 4 kilometres west of Pasvalys, on the Šiauliai-Pakruojis-Pasvalys highway.

"The village is about 500-700 metres from the gas pipeline, there is no panic, there are fire brigades standing by, making sure the buildings don't catch fire. I think the situation will be under control," Sigitas Šležas, a member of the Valakėliai village community, told BNS.

He said that local residents were starting to leave their homes.

"Gas transportation through the damaged pipeline was immediately halted, but Pasvalys district consumers are already being provided with gas through the adjacent pipeline," Amber Grid, the operator of Lithuania's gas pipelines, said in a statement.

The affected pipeline supplies gas to the northern part of Lithuania and delivers gas to Latvia.

Povilas Balčiūnas, director of the Pasvalys District Municipality Administration, commented to LRT TV that the incident may cause disruptions of gas supply to Latvia as well as northern Lithuania.