EL-ARISH, Egypt — An explosion went off at a gas terminal in Egypt's northern Sinai Peninsula on Saturday, setting off a massive fire that could be seen dozens of miles away, officials and witnesses said.

No injuries were reported, and the blaze was quickly brought under control after the gas flow was shut off.

The governor of the region, Abdel Wahab Mabrouk, said he suspected "sabotage," but provided no details.

The blast came as a popular uprising engulfed Egypt, where anti-government protesters have demanded the ouster of longtime President Hosni Mubarak for the past two weeks.

The Sinai Peninsula, home to Bedouin tribesmen, has been the scene of clashes between residents and security forces. It borders both Israel and the Gaza Strip, ruled by the Islamic militant Hamas.

The blast went off early Saturday at a gas terminal in the northern Sinai town of el-Arish, several hundred yards (meters) away from the local airport.

Mabrouk told Egypt's Nile News TV that the fire was brought under control by mid-morning, after valves allowing the flow of gas from the terminal into pipelines were shut off. The pipelines transport gas from Egypt's Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea to Israel, Syria and Jordan.

There were unconfirmed reports about the cause of the blast. Israel Radio quoted officials at the terminal as saying that a small explosive device was planted there and then detonated.

The blaze was visible from rooftops of homes next to the Gaza-Egypt border, about 44 miles (70 kilometers) away. A steady pillar of flames rose high into the air, but there was no smoke, and the fire died down by mid-morning, residents said.

The gas pipelines have come under attack in the past. Bedouin tribesmen attempted to blow up the pipeline last July as tensions intensified between them and the Egyptian government, which they accuse of discrimination and of ignoring their plight.

Israel relies on the gas pipeline to meet its energy needs and spends billions to bring natural gas from Egypt.

Israeli officials said it was not clear whether the explosion affected the pipeline leading to Israel.

"At this stage, the gas supply to Israel was stopped according to procedure in emergency scenarios," said Chen Ben Lulu, spokesman of Israel's Infrastructure Ministry. "We are not sure what caused the explosion."

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Natural gas supply to Israel cut off after blast at Egyptian terminal

The Egyptian regional governor told Nile News TV that he suspected "sabotage" at the el-Arish gas terminal but did not elaborate, the Associated Press reported. The blast set off a fire that could be seen for dozens of miles.

Gov. Abdel Wahab Mabrouk said the fire was brought under control by mid-morning, the AP reported. Technicians had to shut off valves controlling the flow of gas from the terminal into pipelines transporting gas to Israel, Syria and Jordan.

Israeli radio said the explosion damaged a pipeline to Jordan, not to Israel, but the supply to Israel was cut off as a temporary precaution.

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