MIRI: An explosion occurred along a section of the RM4bil Sarawak-Sabah interstate gas pipeline located in the remote jungles of Baram early Monday (Jan 13).

The pre-dawn incident happened not far from Long Kawa, a Penan settlement located in the Telang Usan state constituency, about eight hours by timber road from here, sources told The Star.

Telang Usan state assemblyman Dennis Ngau confirmed the case.

"Yes, apparently there was a loud explosion heard at the pipeline section near Long Kawa.

"I am not sure yet what was the cause. Petronas technicians are on the way there to find out the latest situation.

"A senior Petronas officer told me this morning that there are no injuries," he said

The Star learnt that the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department have also deployed a team to the site.

This latest case is the fourth such explosion/fire incident along the Sarawak side of the trans-boundary pipeline.

On May 8 last year, a fire occurred at the pipeline near the remote Long Segemang village in Lawas district in north Sarawak.

The fire did not result in an explosion or injuries to anyone.

Long Lawa and Long Segemang are among the many villages where the gas pipeline snakes through, from its starting point in Kimanis, Sabah to Bintulu, Sarawak.

On Jan 10,2018, there was another explosion along the section of the giant pipeline near the Long Luping settlement, adjacent to the Sarawak-Sabah border.

After Long Luping, there are populated settlements of Long Semadoh and Long Sukang and then the Lawas hinterland where the pipe connects to Baram on the way to Miri and Bintulu.

The pipeline is to channel gas from Kimanis in interior Sabah to Bintulu port in northern Sarawak for processing and export.

The entire length of the pipeline snaking through the rural frontiers is 600km long.

The first explosion was on June 11,2014, in the hills of Lawas district when a leak happened at a section of the pipeline.

No one was injured in that 2014 explosion.