A fire broke out near Pilagaun ward office at Sirutar-1 in Bhaktapur district when gases emerged while drilling the ground for water on Tuesday.

The fire has destroyed machines and wires used in deep boring. It started at around 10 am today. It has still not been doused despite three fire engines of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur reaching the fire site to take it under control.

Eyewitness said the gas began to come out when boring reached 180 feet below the surface for water. It was not immediately known as to what caused the emerging gas to catch the fire.

The drilling was being conducted for Chapakharka Water Project. The water-boring works have been halted after the fire.