Fire Blazes From Newly Drilled Well In Ngawi

Ngawi, E Java, Sept 9 (Antara) - A four-meter high fire that broke out of a newly drilled well in the middle of a paddy field in Sidolaju village, Ngawi, East Java, triggered frenzy among the local residents. The well was initially drilled to water a paddy field belonging to a local farmer, Karno, during the drought period, on Monday (Sept. 8). "A rumbling noise was heard from inside the well when we reached 100 meters deep. Immediately, we turned off the drilling engine to check where the noise originated. We thought it was the drilling engine that made the rumbling noise," Sudarno, one of the drill operators, stated here on Monday (Sept. 8). Shortly, mud gushed out of the well up to a meter high, which was then followed by a four-meter high fire erupting from the well. No casualties were reported in the incident, but the local police have cordoned off the area around the well`s perimeter to ensure the safety of curious onlookers witnessing the "natural phenomenon." "I am actually scared to go near the fire blaze erupting from the well, but I am more curious to witness it. That is why I am observing the incident from a distance" stated a resident Edi Santoso. In the meantime, there are major concerns regarding the safety of a high-voltage electrical cable line located near the well. The state`s electrical company PT PLN has sent its technicians as an anticipatory measure to avoid any untoward incident from occurring. "The high voltage cable seen around the well has a heat tolerance threshold, and it will break if it gets too hot," noted Widiarto, one of the company`s technicians. The fire emanating from the well is yet to be extinguished, and many more curious residents are thronging the well site to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon.