Over 20 drums of spilled oil have been recovered after a major pipeline rupture in Karachi’s DHA area was successfully repaired.
An underground oil pipeline belonging to National Refinery Limited burst on Saturday night in the Defence Housing Authority, causing crude oil to spill across the neighbourhood. The incident created a strong pungent smell and forced authorities to keep several roads closed until late Sunday evening.
The leak occurred in Khayaban-i-Sehar, Street 13, at around 10:30 pm. According to the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, the NRL response team arrived at the site around midnight and immediately started containment and clean-up work. Teams used special spill kits and managed to collect more than 20 drums of leaked oil so far.
South DIG Syed Asad Raza confirmed that the pipeline, which carries crude oil from Keamari to Korangi, developed a leak that allowed oil to flow onto the main road. DHA vigilance teams, the fire brigade and police reached the location quickly and cordoned off the area to prevent any accident.
Although the pipeline itself has been repaired, NRL has not yet given clearance for the closed road to reopen. Officials are still assessing the situation before allowing normal traffic to resume.
Sepa said it continues to monitor the site closely. The agency has directed NRL management to ensure the leak is fully contained, all contaminated material is disposed of properly and any possible environmental impact is carefully assessed. Residents have been advised to stay away from the affected zone, avoid smoking or using open flames near the spilled oil and not attempt to clean it themselves or wash it into drains.
People living nearby were also asked to report any further leakage or spread of oil to the authorities without delay. The quick response by NRL, police and civic teams helped limit the damage, but the strong smell and road closures caused inconvenience to residents throughout Sunday.
This incident has once again highlighted the risks associated with ageing underground pipelines running through residential areas of the city. Authorities are expected to carry out further checks to prevent similar ruptures in future. For now, clean-up operations are ongoing and the situation remains under close watch by environmental and security officials.
