Moneeze Bernardo
- After drilling the ground for soil-testing, a beach in Augusan Del Norte bursts into flames
- Residents believed that there’s natural gas beneath the earth in Brgy. Poblacion, Magallanes
- DOE has come to the conclusion that methane gas beneath the beach was ignited after initial investigation
After a construction company set up a tube in Magallanes, Agusan Del Norte for soil-testing, the ground near the beach started to heat up and the body of water near it seemingly boiled.
In a video from ABS-CBN News, smoke and water was seen spewing out from the tube used to drill into the ground. There was also a burst of soil and water from the shore nearby.
It was reported later that the entire beach of Purok 7, Brgy. Poblacion, Magallanes and nearby waters went up in flames when a local decided to light a fire next to it, and it kept burning overnight until the next morning. The area was previously a fish pond.
Clean Magellan, Magallanes Chapter came to the beach to put out the fire, headed by Alejandro Abuga but to no avail.
A few of the residents believed that there’s natural gas beneath the earth. The Department of Energy (DOE) conducted a preliminary investigation into the baffling phenomenon and said that the workers who were testing the soil for an upcoming bridge connecting Magallanes and Butuan City may have ignited methane gas beneath the beach.
The DOE in Mindanao has yet to determine how much methane is stored, and so for the residents’ safety, they have been asked to keep away from the area temporarily.
