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'Gate of Hell' labelled 'most dangerous natural attraction in world' is still on fire 50 years later
Home>News>World News
Published 17:29 1 Jun 2024 GMT+1

'Gate of Hell' labelled 'most dangerous natural attraction in world' is still on fire 50 years later

The so-called 'Gates of Hell' live up to their nickname as they spew molten lava into a pit in the ground

Kit Roberts

Kit Roberts

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When it comes to dangerous natural wonders to visit, the world is not short of options.

It could be the slot canyons in Zion National Park in Utah in the US, which are dangerous due to the risks of flash flooding.

Or maybe you fancy trekking underground in Mexico to see the astonishing Naica Crystal Cave.

They might be stunning, but the temperature reaches a whopping 50C with a humidity of nearly 100 per cent that makes it feel like it's 105C. Phew!

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All this means any visitors have to wear special cooling suits and can only be in there for ten minutes at a time.

Some places have a lot of chemical activity going on, making it a dangerous place for people to visit if they get too close.

For example, geyser pools in Yellowstone National Park can be highly dangerous due to the mass of volcanic compounds all mixed up in them.

Not a lot of fun if you're unlucky enough to fall in.

But the one place that was named as the most dangerous of all them is rather aptly-named 'Gates of Hell', located in Turkmenistan.

The Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan. (Merdan Velhanov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan. (Merdan Velhanov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

It's so-called as it's a large hole in the ground which has a great flaming furnace burning at the bottom.

To all intents and purposes if there was a gateway to the realm of Satan himself this would certainly fit how we might imagine it.

What makes it all the more striking as well is that it seems to come almost out of nowhere.

The ground surrounding it looks like more or less ordinary ground which is then slashed by this great flaming wound in the earth.

It's all a incredibly striking scenario to come across, but how on earth did this phenomenon even come about?

The site is still burning today. (Merdan Velhanov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The site is still burning today. (Merdan Velhanov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

It's actually the result of natural gas drilling by the Soviets, which resulted in the surface layers of soil collapsing into the cave located beneath in a sinkhole measuring 100ft deep and 130ft wide.

Unfortunately, natural gas was escaping into the nearby area which could have posed a threat to people living nearby as well as livestock and the environment.

So as a way to prevent the gas from leaking out engineers ignited it, which is a common safety protocol to prevent against the leaking of some toxic gases as it will just burn off the dangerous substance.

The only problem is that while they expected it to burn for a few days, it's still burning today more than 50 years later.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image

Topics: News, World News, Travel

Kit Roberts
Kit Roberts

Kit joined LADbible Group in 2023 as a community journalist. They previously worked for StokeonTrentLive, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Star.

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