SIMUNJAN (Sarawak), Jan 13: Residents of a village near the alternative road of Sungai Kelka here have been mystified by the recent occurrence of an underground fire in the area.
The mysterious fire, discovered by local residents sometime last month, has aroused curiosity among the public.
The fire, which has been burning and does not extinguish even during rain, has sparked speculation among the local villagers, who believe it could be caused by methane gas in the area.
“According to older residents in this village, during the British colonial era, there was already discovery of gas in Simunjan, which at that time could not yet be tapped (as a fuel source)” said Mahri John, 56.
There are also coal deposits in Simunjan and they may be related to underground fire, he said.
Senior Fire Officer II (SFO II) Fairuz Jamain of the Simunjan Fire Department said his department had been alerted by the public of the underground fire in late December 2023 and it had also reported the matter to the police.
Villagers in the area have been advised to be cautious when passing through the area.
Content and image courtesy of MalaysiaAktif’s Mohamad Farid Izwan (Sarawak).