Underground fuel pipe leak finally found

After a long search, officials have located the point of the leak in an underground fuel pipe in Klong Toey district of Bangkok and the city governor has ordered thorough checks for leaks at other, similar installations.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt visited the leak location in Klong Toey early on Sunday morning. He said via a Facebook live session then that officials found a small crack in an underground fuel pipe beneath Chuea Phloeng Road about 1am on Sunday.

An official showed a close-up picture of the cracked pipe section and it appeared as a fine red crack with a red oil stain around it. The crack was about four centimetres long.

Mr Chadchart said that section of the fuel pipe was installed on the foundation of an elevated expressway. As time went by, soil in the vicinity subsided along with the fuel pipe, while the cracked section remained still on the foundation of the elevated expressway pillar. When the pipe was bent by the subsidence, it cracked despite being inside a steel cover.

Work crews finally found the leak after 13 days of searching, the Bangkok governor said.

Leaked oil flowed into drains and local people smelt fuel and filed complaints with officials.

Mr Chadchart said he has ordered thorough checks for leaks at other installations where ground conditions are similar.

The close-up picture shows the crack on the fuel pipe. Photos: screenshots from Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt's Facebook page.

The oil-stained covers were removed from the leaked pipe section.

An expressway pillar stands on its foundation where the fuel pipe leaked.