A natural gas well exploded in Argentina's Patagonia region, igniting a
huge blaze but causing no serious injuries, authorities said Tuesday.
The explosion occurred late Monday at a well belonging to the
Argentine oil company Pluspetrol in Neuquen, a civil defense official
said.
The well was about a kilometer (0.6 miles) away from the
nearest populated area, but provincial civil defense chief Vanina Merlo
said residents were not at risk.
One person was lightly injured, she said.
"It wasn't necessary to evacuate the residents and there is no
possibility of a toxic cloud affecting the inhabitants of Plottier,
about six kilometers from the site," she said.
Ms. Merlo said the fire had been brought under control, but gas continued to burn.
Neuquen province in Patagonia is one of Argentina's most important oil producing areas.