Boats spray water on the sea at the Gulf of Mexico after gas leakage causes pipelines to catch fire, leaves netizens puzzled

On Friday (July 3), a fire broke out in the Gulf of Mexico after a gas leak from an underwater pipeline of a State-owned oil company Pemex.

According to Pemex, the fire broke out in an underwater pipeline near Ku Maloob Zaap oil development. It ignited at around 5:15 am local time and extinguished by 10:30 am. Reportedly, the adjoining boats used water streams as well as nitrogen to extinguish the fire. In visuals that have surfaced online, it showed orange flames coming out of water. The company informed no injuries were reported and that production was not affected.

https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1411086093311688705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Ku Maloob Zaap, located near the southern rim of the Gulf of Mexico, is the largest producer of crude oil for Permex. It had vowed to investigate the cause of the fire. Citing sources, Reuters reported, “The turbomachinery of Ku Maloob Zaap’s active production facilities were affected by an electrical storm and heavy rains.”

Netizens react to the ‘eyes of fire’ in ocean

Netizens were initially left wondering as to how water can extinguish fire on water. “The ocean is on fire is one of those things that you can type and it’s true and yet it doesn’t feel believable,” wrote popular Twitter user Brian Kahn.

https://twitter.com/blkahn/status/1411073985765314560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

“I am not sure how spraying water on a fire that is literally in the ocean is going to help put it out. I need someone to make it make sense for me,” wrote Christopher Bouzy.

https://twitter.com/cbouzy/status/1411109010695204872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Another user wondered whether the boats should be in close proximity of the fire to extinguish it.

https://twitter.com/NeedsMoreInput/status/1411088037845471236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Another user lamented, “Why not? The ocean being on fire/ Portal to hell opening seems par for the course for 2021..”

https://twitter.com/Barack_McBush/status/1411092468976787456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

ASEA, the oil safety regulator of Mexico, denied any oil spills but couldn’t explain what was burning on the surface of the water.