KATHMANDU: Natural-gas fueled fire at a water deep boring site in Sirutar of Bhaktapur on Tuesday was contained with the help of four fire engines after four hours or so, police said.

A plume of fire rose from the equipment that was being used to bore the earth for a local water supply project, at around 10:15 this morning. It has been learned that deep boring had started yesterday.

Underground natural gas started gushing out as the equipment bored through 180 metres and caught fire, ringing an alarm bell in Pilagaun neighbourhood as the site is just a stone's throw from houses.

Shivesh Jha, the chief of Bhaktapur-based Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office which has provided Rs 3.5 million for the project, said his office will consult the Department of Mines and Geology to study the site before taking any decision on the project's fate.

(With inputs from Rastriya Samachar Samiti)