CAIRO (Updated) - Egypt's gas pipeline fire was put out on Thursday, security sources at North Sinai said. The pipeline delivering gas to Israel and Jordan had two explosions. It is the seventh time that the pipeline has been attacked this year, the most recent attack being on September 27, when one person was injured. The first blast happened around 1:00 am (2300 GMT Wednesday) 40 kilometres (25 miles) west of the town of Al-Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula, a security source said. Meanwhile, the second explosion took place near a pumping station in the same sector, the official news agency MENA said, adding that the army was already deployed in the region. The Gasco officials closed the tap connected with the two pumping stations in Be'r Al-Abd and Midan, west of Arish. Fire continued to flare up despite the closure of the tap, becuase of retreating gas from the two stations across the main gas line, according to sources. The expolsions have not caused any loss of lives or damage as the blast was far from inhabited areas. According to eyewitnesses, masked people had tried to blast the two gas stations, but they failed due to condense security deployed at the area since the last explosion. Therefore, they exploded the pipeline far from the stations. Egypt's Sinai region is particularly security sensitive due to tensions with the bedouin community living there. Many goods are smuggled to the Palestinian enclave of Gaza through Sinai, which the Israelis also charge is a rear base for militant attacks against its territory.
