Eruption in Diamond… Families evacuated, electricity cut, as home crumbles

Jun 16, 2018 News

The state of the Diamond site after the explosion

The Natural Gas Explosion on Thursday evening at Fourth Street, 1200 Section A, Block X Diamond, East Bank Demerara, has seen the turnout of many related agencies, who are monitoring the unstable situation.
Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation at the Diamond location, after a home owner attempted to drill a water well on private property. The drilling resulted in an explosion that saw the release of dangerous fumes and prompted a lock down of the area.
Yesterday, although the eruptions had reduced from the geyser on Wednesday night, there was still volcanic like activity at the location. Small eruptions were emanating from the slush that has now inundated the whole yard.
Yesterday, the family from the Sixth Avenue residence could only watch helplessly as huge cracks developed in their home as the ground continued to collapse. A water trestle reportedly caved as did the stairs. Destruction was evident everywhere.
The Department of Public Information said that various agencies and oil companies are conducting further tests to determine the level of natural gas from the well, which erupted Wednesday night at the Diamond Housing Scheme.
Head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Khemraj Parasram said that the preliminary tests have revealed that there is little presence of methane in the air.
Officials are urging caution particularly with the use of fires, smoking or cooking in the surrounding homes.
Additionally, the Guyana Power and Light has disconnected power to the area. The GWI and GGMC have dispatched teams to further assess the level of methane in the area.
When this publication visited the site on Thursday, a number of individuals and agencies were on the ground. The Ministry of Health had officials there; the Guyana Fire Service was present; Police were on the ground; CDC had officials there too.
EXXONMOBIL had officials discussing the situation with residents, the precautions that should be taken to ensure their safety.
This has not been the first incidence of such an occurrence in Guyana. There was also another such eruption in the Diamond/Grove area.

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