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Egyptian gas pipeline fire under control

CAIRO, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Firefighters and civilian forces have brought a fire at a natural gas pipeline and pumping station in al-Arish, Egypt, under control, officials said.

A guard said six men broke into the station and apparently planted explosives "because the explosion occurred a few seconds after [they entered] the station," The Egyptian Gazette reported.

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The guard said the explosion damaged the main pump, causing gas to leak and spread. The attack on the pipeline that supplies gas to Israel and Jordan is the sixth since former President Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February.

A North Sinai Governorate official said the fire injured two people, and damaged crops and a poultry farm.

Company officials said they were taking protective measures to prevent more damage, the Gazette reported.

Israel buys about 40 percent of its natural gas from Egypt, Arutz Sheva reported. Jordan uses Egyptian gas to generate 80 percent of its electricity.

Witnesses said they saw flames rise 40 feet into the air and set some homes on fire, CNN reported.

Egypt's gas sales to Israel have become controversial in Egypt amid allegations Israel paid below-market prices for the gas and Egyptian government officials profited from the deal, CNN said.

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