People started to notice a black liquid seeping out of the pavement in a restaurant street in Karachi’s DHA on Saturday. Valets thought it was from a car, but it became clear that an underground oil pipeline had burst.

“We have been seeing since early morning that oil is seeping out from the parking area,” said Zeeshan Ali who is the manager at Xander’s Cafe’s Clifton branch. “We immediately called the police and authorities to check it before the situation gets dangerous.”

The oil which seems to be seeping from the ground is believed to be from a leak of the National Refinery’s pipeline.

The police and the staff of the National Refinery reached the spot and sealed it however, operations in the surrounding area and traffic kept running. The police had left the spot while workers from the National Refinery were waiting for a surveyor to inspect.

“At first, we thought that the oil stain was due to a car parked in the space but it resurfaced even after we washed it down so we called the police,” said Ali. “We had also called the fire brigade but they haven’t reached the spot yet.”

National Refinery’s staff has not commented so far.

E Street is in front of Dolmen Mall Clifton. It connects Sea View road to the 26th Street and houses embassies, high-end cafes and restaurants, designer boutiques, salons and corporate offices.