A flammable liquid suspected to be oil has been found underground at a construction site in Netrakona, creating a stir among local people.
Construction workers unearthed it while placing an electric pole into a pit dug for piling for the construction of a multistoried building in the Kachari junction area under the district’s Durgapur municipality around noon on Thursday.
Iron pipes are laid along with electric poles for piling, for the construction of multistoried buildings, according to construction workers.
As part of this, one mechanic Shafiqul Islam was placing an electric pole into a pit dug for laying an iron pipe alongside the pole on Thursday noon, when a flammable liquid came out, they said.
The flammable liquid came out just as the pole was placed five feet deep, according to the construction workers.
Being curious, they tried whether the liquid substance looking like thick black diesel burns and surprisingly found that it burns, they added.
As soon as the news spread, local people started collecting it – believing that it is some kind of oil – in plastic buckets, mugs and pitchers.
A local filling station employee, Nuruzzaman said it is some kind of fuel oil which is a bit thicker than diesel.
“Maybe it will be what it is before refining diesel,” he said, meaning that it is some kind of crude oil.
Durgapur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Rajib-ul-Ahsan said police and fire service personnel have been rushed to the scene.
“If any oil is really found there, it is a state resource and necessary action will be taken by contacting the higher authorities,” he said.
