Gas leak caused 'eye of fire' in the sea, says Pemex

Shocking images of Pemex pipeline fire 0:49

(CNN) -

A fire on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico sea that resembled a large "eye of fire" was brought under control, according to Mexican state oil company Pemex.

On social media, photographs of the orange flames that looked like molten lava were shared and which, due to the circular shape of the fire, were nicknamed "eye of fire."

The fire broke out a short distance from a Pemex oil rig.

In a statement, Pemex said that the fire, attributed to a gas leak from an underwater pipeline, occurred at 5:15 am on Friday, local time, off the coast of Campeche.

The fire, which was near an oil rig, went out at 10:45 a.m. local time, and no injuries or evacuations from the facility have been reported.

Videos of the fire, called "eye of fire," circulated on social media.

Pemex said an investigation into the incident has been launched.

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Angel Carrizales, head of Mexico's Security, Energy and Environment Agency (ASEA), wrote on Twitter that the incident "did not generate any spills," according to the Reuters news agency, but did not explain what was burning on the surface of the Water.

Pemex, which has a long history of major industrial accidents at its facilities, said it would investigate the cause of the fire and close the valves in the 12-inch-diameter pipeline, Reuters added.

Pemex