Mexican Waters on Fire
Viral video shows the Gulf of Mexico on fire after an oil pipeline rupture.
Mexico's Yucatan peninsula was on fire early on Friday, state oil company Pemex said, blaming an underwater pipeline for sparking the blaze.
The lava-like orange flames were dubbed the "eye of fire" on social media platforms that spread a video of the circular blaze.
The fire took more than five hours to fully put out, according to Pemex.
Pemex revealed that no injuries were reported, and production from the project was not affected after the gas leak ignited around 5:15 a.m. local time.
Pemex, which has a long record of major industrial accidents at its facilities, added it also shut the valves of the 12-inch-diameter pipeline.
La @agencia_asea da seguimiento al evento ocurrido esta mañana en la Sonda de #Campeche, relacionada con una línea de #gas, la cual ya fue atendida y controlada por personal de @Pemex conforme a sus Protocolos de Respuesta a Emergencias. El hecho no generó ningún derrame.
— Ángel Carrizales (@acarrizales_) July 2, 2021
Angel Carrizales, head of Mexico's oil safety regulator ASEA, wrote on Twitter that the incident "did not generate any spill," with no further details on the matter.