An explosion today damaged an Amber Grid gas pipeline connecting the Baltic states to Poland in northern Lithuania without causing any casualties, the Lithuanian gas transmission company said.
Video released by Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT shows a fire raging at the site of the explosion in Panevezys County in northern Lithuania.
Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks tweeted that the cause of the incident would be investigated, saying sabotage could not be ruled out.
He noted that the pipeline – which was built in 1978 – had undergone recent maintenance work and that company workers will try to determine whether this contributed to the explosion. “All the reasons will be investigated and clarified in the coming days,” the managing director emphasized.
He also added that the natural gas supply to the pipeline has been cut off and that he expects the fire to subside in the next few hours. Amber Grid noted that the explosion occurred “far from any residential buildings.”
