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A massive ring of fire exploded onto the surface of the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, creating apocalyptic imagery that enveloped social media with unbelievable imagery of the “eye of fire.”
The harrowing “fire in the sea” came following a gas leak in an underwater pipeline near a drilling platform that was owned by Mexican state-owned oil company PEMEX.
Incendio registrado en aguas del Golfo de México
A 400 metros de la plataforma Ku-Charly (dentro del Activo Integral de Producción Ku Maloob Zaap)
Una válvula de una línea submarina habría reventado y provocado el incendio
Esta fuera de control hace 8 horas pic.twitter.com/KceOTDU1kX
— Manuel Lopez San Martin (@MLopezSanMartin) July 2, 2021
The blaze, which resembled a lava flow from a volcano took some five hours to fully contain, and was extinguished by 10:45 a.m., reports USA Today.
#ULTIMAHORA | Explota línea submarina de #Pemex en la Plataforma KuSierra de 78 metros de profundidad. El accidente mantiene un incendio sobre la superficie, no se reportan lesionados. Tres barcos han apoyado para sofocar las llamas. Pemex no ha emitido ningún tipo de comunicado. pic.twitter.com/Yt5KRlo4o9
— Televisa Veracruz (@televertv) July 2, 2021
In footage from the scene, a hellish orange glow can be seen beneath the churning ocean as boats sprayed streams of water in hopes to put out the blaze.
One video, which seems to depict footage out of a disaster movie, has accumulated over 21 million views at the time of this writing.
User Dave Anthony said: “Never in your life forget the time humans caught the ocean on fire and then tried to put it out by spraying water on it.”
While journalist Christopher Bouzy tweeted: “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.”
Our official stance is we do not think the oceans should be on fire.
— The Good Liars (@TheGoodLiars) July 3, 2021
Company workers resorted to using nitrogen to subdue the blaze.
Company workers used nitrogen to control the inferno, which resembled molten lava swirling on the water.
Fortunately, there were no injuries resulting from the disaster – although it is too early to gauge the impact on the local environment.
