American specialists will be brought in to help combat the persistent fire that erupted during drilling operations near an oil refinery in Korangi Creek on March 28, according to a statement from the Sindh chief secretary’s spokesperson.

Farhat Imtiaz Janwari, spokesperson for the Sindh chief secretary, confirmed that “the Ministry of Petroleum has hired the services of the American company Cudd Well Control” to address the ongoing emergency.

Technical teams from Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and United Energy Pakistan Limited (UEPL) have jointly inspected the affected area. A specialized team of drilling, completion, and safety experts examined the site and found concerning developments.

“During the inspection, it was observed that the intensity of the fire has not decreased, the borehole has further expanded due to the volume of gas, and hot water continues to leak,” Janwari reported.

The spokesperson added that consultations with experts are continuing to implement a strategy of filling the borehole with cement. If necessary, decisions about drilling a new well to reach the gas source will be based on expert recommendations. Modern equipment is being ordered to determine the quantity and temperature of the gas.

It emerged last Sunday that the fire, which erupted during excavation for a housing project in late March, was likely triggered by a concentration of chemicals exceeding permissible limits. In response, the federal government constituted a committee of experts last week to conduct a detailed technical investigation to assess the cause and extent of the blaze.

“The Sindh government is in constant touch with the relevant agencies to deal with this emergency situation,” Janwari stated.

This incident follows another major fire that broke out last week at the Sungraver factory inside the Export Processing Zone in Karachi’s Landhi Industrial Area Extension.