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Where in the World is “The Door to Hell”?
The Darvaza Gas Crater is a hot property!
This week’s Where in the World takes us to a location that is only 50 years old! This blazing crater intimidates even the most experienced explorers.
Located in the Karakum Desert in north-central Turkmenistan, dancing flames mark the spot that locals call “The Door to Hell”. Darvaza, also known as Derweze is the home of the 226-foot crater, with a depth of 98 feet. The fiery pit is about 3/4 the size of an American football field.
An Accidental Wonder
While the elements that make up the crater are natural, its creation was could have been triggered accidentally by man and our industrious nature. This is the most widely believed story but has not been confirmed.
In 1971, Soviet geologists were searching the area for signs of oil and natural gas. As they drilled, the ground underneath their equipment collapsed into the underground cavern below. While the geologists made it out unscathed, their equipment was lost to the crater.
A pocket of natural gas was punctured in the process, and the fumes leaked out at a disturbing rate. In an attempt to “burn off” the escaping fumes and escape a potential environmental disaster, the Soviets lit the gas aflame, thinking that it…
