The gas still present in the pipeline near Eindhoven, which is in danger of subsidence, is flared. This is reported by the municipality of Eindhoven. This means that a pipe is placed through which the gas can escape and ignite in a controlled manner. The flaring process takes about four to five hours, the fire brigade reports. Until the flaring is over, the A2 and A67 near Eindhoven are closed.
Flaring can cause a flame 1 to 3 meters high. “That is normal,” says the municipality. The gas pipeline was already shut off earlier in the afternoon.
Network operator Enexis announced that the gas could be diverted, so that no one in the area is without gas. A crane is on its way to support the pipe.
The gas pipe is supported with a tap so that it cannot bend further.
Problems for hours to come
Flaring has started, but that doesn’t mean the problems will end soon. The ANWB expects that traffic will continue to be delayed until after the evening rush hour due to traffic jams and diversions.
In this video, the fire brigade explains why the gas pipeline causes problems: