An explosion at a key natural gas pipeline in Egypt's restive northern Sinai Peninsula caused a fire, an AP report reads. No casualties were reported, a senior official said.
The explosion took place late Thursday at el-Arish, capital of the North Sinai. Governor of the province Mohamed Abdel Fadil Shousha said the explosion won't affect gas supply to the residential areas or an industrial zone in central Sinai.
Witnesses said smoke and flames from the blast were visible from 30 kilometres away.
No one has claimed responsibility for the blast. Cause of the blast is yet to be known. A similar explosion took place in northern Sinai next month, which was claimed by an affiliate group of the Islamic State. For several years, Egypt has been battling an insurgency, now being led by the IS affiliate. In 2013, after the military overthrew the country's president Mohammed Morsi, the fighting has intensified.
