Fatal pipe blast 'linked to Banjar Panji-1'

Rescue workers search for victims of gas pipe explosion occurred on the day before at the site of mud flow that began surging from a gas exploration site six months ago, in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2006. The explosion that shot flames hundreds of meters (yards) into the air killed at least eight people, officials said Thursday, as rescuers searched for more bodies. (AP Photo/Trisnadi)

Desperate search: rescue workers comb the area surrounding the pipeline blast

An Indonesian gas pipeline explosion that killed at eight people was related to a massive mud flow from underground which authorities have struggled for months to plug, an official claimed today.

Last night's explosion occurred near the city of Surabaya on Java island in a part of the state-owned Pertamina East Java Gas Pipeline.

The incident also left eight other people injured while another two are still missing.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told reporters the Energy Minister Yusgiantoro Purnomo had gone to the scene and the government "would take steps needed to ensure that the situation would not deteriorate further".

The incident happened in the area where hot mud has been gushing from near the Banjar Panji-1 exploration well since the end of May…

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