Fire pits in Saigon due to 'methane accumulation'

The phenomenon of fire pits is concluded by methane gas, local accumulation in the ground. The authorities will continue to block the pit for another 2 days.

>>>The case of the road exploding and burning fire: Initial conclusion

According to the conclusions made on November 1 of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology on the phenomenon of fire pits before house No. 236 Binh Loi Street, (Ward 13, Binh Thanh District), in 7 soil samples collected and analyzed. do not detect mixed gases. The composition of soil samples is mainly normal inorganic substances such as silicon, aluminum, iron . do not find any abnormally high components.

Similarly, 3 samples of water do not mix with the components that cause fire. Particularly in 8 gas samples, authorities discovered methane gas with the content of 0.2 - 2%.

Authorities claim that fire pits are caused by methane.(Photo: An Nhon)

In addition, the results of measuring and analyzing air samples around the area show that all parameters are within the allowable limits. Surveying the geological area by Georadar machine (a machine can check the geological layer at the position of 3-4 meters from the road surface), it also does not detect holes in the area causing fire.

Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology said that it is likely that the phenomenon of explosion is caused by methane and local accumulation in the ground. However, the amount of gas is not much and is likely to have been released, because after the last fire on October 29 morning, there was not any unusual phenomenon.

In the past, the Binh Loi road area was a marsh, which could have produced methane gas. This gas with chemical formula is CH ₄ , usually found in oil fields, gas fields, coal mines, mud ponds, marshes, biogas reactors, garbage, sewer pipes . Methane is considered not to be inferior. gas, by accumulating much when reaching dangerous concentrations, escaping, meeting the heat source will cause explosion and fire.

In the immediate future, the authorities will continue to monitor and block this hole until the end of November 3. After that, if everything is still not unusual, the road surface will be re-established.

Before that, on October 28, Binh Loi road surface, the preceding paragraph 236 (ward 13, Binh Thanh district) suddenly exploded, sprayed fire, the road surface collapsed into a pit about 20cm in diameter, 30cm deep. Under the boiling water hole, every few minutes, the fire erupted more than a meter high, pink smoke.

Shortly thereafter, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology came to the site to sample soil, water, and gas in the pit for analysis to determine the cause.