Gas leak detected in Bataan town floods

In this file photo dated Feb. 7, 2016, a backhoe helps dig up a drain that would lead to an oil pipeline that had suffered a leak, releasing foul odor in Barangay San Ramon, in the town of Dinalupihan in Bataan province. The same place detected a gas leak on Sunday (Aug. 14, 2016)  (FILE PHOTO BY GREG REFRACCION/INQUIRER CENTRAL LUZON

DINALUPIHAN, Bataan — Residents have discovered a gas leak after inspecting the source of fumes emanating from floods that affected Barangay (village) San Ramon, on Sunday, Dinalupihan Mayor Gila Garcia said.

The mayor said the leak was reportedly caused by a small puncture in the old pipeline of the Subic-Clark Pipeline Corp., which has been supplying aviation fuel to the Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga.

As a precaution, village officials and the municipal disaster and risk reduction management council temporarily sealed the hole with sand to prevent any chemical it has expelled from igniting.

This was not the first time that the village experienced a gas leak from the same pipeline.  The first leak happened last February and was blamed on a construction funded by the Department of Public Works and Highways.  SFM