The Door to Hell ~ Flaming Gas Crater in Darvaza, Turkmenistan (formerly USSR or Russia)
What would the door to hell look like?
If someone were to ask you to describe the door to hell or the gate to hell, how would you accomplish this task? Many people believe that it is more than adequately portrayed in the Karakum desert located in Turkmenistan.
Darvaza Gas Crater ~ The Darvaza Burning Gas Crater
Located in the Karakum desert, close to Darvaza, Turkmenistan, is a huge hole (the Door to Hell) that has been burning for a long time. How long? There are mixed reports. Some say it has been burning since the 1950’s; and others indicating that it has been burning for over 200 years; but most agree that the fire started in the early 1970’s.
Turkmenistan has one of the largest gas reservoirs in the world. The Darvaza area is known to be an area rich in natural gas deposits. It is reported that in the early 1970’s, at the aforementioned location which at the time was a part of the USSR, Soviet geologists looking for pockets of natural gas were drilling a hole to extract the gas from a huge underground deposit. While excavating at the site, they unexpectedly encountered a huge underground cavity filled with natural gas. The earth under the drilling platform completely collapsed swallowing the drilling rig in its massive maw. All that remained was an enormous burning hole about 230 feet (70 meters) in diameter and 65 feet (20 meters deep). In order to prevent the poisonous methane gas from escaping into the atmosphere, the hole was flared and then allowed to burn. At the time, it was thought that the fire would consume all its fuel and extinguish itself in a few days. The "Door to Hell" has, however, burned continuously since that day.
The “Door to Hell”
Once the entire drilling site collapsed into the crater, geologists had a decision to make. The concentration of the gases was so extreme, if the gas was not contained by some method, the fumes would have overwhelmed the residents of the nearby town of Darvaza. The geologists decided to allow the gas to burn itself out. Burning or flaring was much safer and friendlier to the environment than allowing the poisonous methane gas to be freely released into the environment. Methane is a very potent greenhouse gas with a significantly high global warming potential of 72 averaged over a 20 year period or 25 averaged over a 100 year period. This seemingly infinite pocket of methane gas has burned unceasingly since that time and shows no signs of weakening anytime soon.
Residents of Darvaza, numbering approximately 350, have dubbed this flaming gas crater, the “Door to Hell.” This inferno’s flames, which casts a menacing glow in the cover of darkness that can be observed for miles, dancing and licking at the air reinforces the idea of hell to all who have beheld this terrifyingly awesome and breath-taking sight. Watch the video below and you can get a small taste of the terror of hell. You can even hear the licking of the flames!
The “Door to Hell”
Thinking the hole would burn itself out in a few days, no one ventured into the massive crater at the time that it collapsed upon itself; and no one has entered it since either. The terrifying aspect of hell along with its vicious fires has stopped all that would dare.
Looking into this massive hole of unceasing flames, it is easy to see why the locals have named this site, the “Door to Hell”. When viewing this massive hole of flames that seems to feed on the air itself, it is easy to imagine this is way hell must look – feeding on the souls of the damned.
Is the “Door to Hell” Real?
Checking with hoax-slayer, they indicate that the photographs of this site near Darvaza are genuine, but any descriptions of the “Door to Hell” are unsubstantiated.
The first time I personally became aware of the flaming crater near Darvaza was via an email a few years back. Hoax-slayer indicates that information about the “Door to Hell” has been circulated by email, blogs and various online communities for many years now.
More Pictures and Video
John Bradley has taken a series of photos of the fiery gas crater that can be viewed here. Below you can see additional video footage.
Where in the world is Darvaza, Turkmenistan?
What do you think?
This is just one of many holes that penetrate deeply into the crust of the earth. This hole, however, is the only one filled with an unlimited source of flames - best representing the Door to Hell!
What do you think? Does this hole look like it could be the entrance to hell?
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Copyright © 2011 Cindy Murdoch (homesteadbound)
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Reference Sites:
- Geologists Accidentally Opened the "Door to Hell" : TreeHugger
In the darkness of night, flames dance and lick the air, casting an ominous glow that can be seen from miles around in the desert of Turkmenistan. The source of all this light and heat is a massive crater, in which blazes an
- Darvaz: The Door to Hell | English Russia
Interesting news from Russia in English language.
- Derweze - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Comments: "The Door to Hell ~ Flaming Gas Crater in Darvaza, Turkmenistan (formerly USSR or Russia)"
This is not the door to hell for sure. God has created hell and heaven somewhere else, we will only know where that is when we die. Interesting article, enjoyed reading it.
Wow Awesome!! I never knew this "door to hell" existed. it was like on the story i heard a long time ago. Thanks, so amazing, and it was there burning like forever.
Fascinating stuff. Thanks for the Hoax-Slayer link,too!
Well I have learned something new and really interesting! Thank you for this.
Cindy - amazing! I've never heard of this and its quite the sink hole if that is indeed all it is. Totally creepy - I know that much. I would NOT volunteer to go in and I wouldn't even really want to get all that close to it. I didn't realize the massive size until I saw the video with a tiny little person walking around the edge WOW
Wow! These photos are breathtaking! Thanks for sharing, Cindy.
Cindy...
I don't know if you are a fan of the Simpsons...but this reminds me of their Springfield Tire Fire that has been burning for days!
I would have hated to have been on that drill platform back in the day! Great job with eerie as hell pictures!
Thomas
amazing information,there are number holes in the earth like this hmeesteadbound.Voting it up.
Not a problem =) Thanks again for a great hub and a fun conversation!
A quick google search popped up like dozens of sites explaining it off as a hoax and citing the origination of the story.
Sorry, Didn't mean to sound like I was calling them out or anything, if I did come off as such ;P I was lending some more towards it
Its definitely an interesting tidbit, the screams of hell. This actually sent me to the 'net to conduct some research. I've found, rather quickly may I add, that it is a known hoax. (Referring to the youtube video 3 comments up)
homesteadbound - Apparently its an audio snippet from a film, it's a littler scary for those watching the video not know that however!
Here is the link to the video on YouTube
Forgot to thank you in my last comment, but thanks for this interesting read! This is definitely one I haven't heard about yet, and certainly fascinating!
I still think my nearly free energy idea is pretty awesome... Think their government would sell the hole to me!? hahahah
There is a clip on YouTube with seismologists claiming they heard the voices through the earth here with people in hell! It's complete rubbish but very alarming at the same time!
Since its already burning endlessly... lets pump water towards it, of course completely sealed inside a system, and have nearly unlimited steam-energy! =D
Hell, it beats burning coal for it, am i right!?
I remember seeing a TV show about it years ago. There are quite a few of these things globally?
Is this in or near turkey? I used to live in turkey...
A briliant hub and thank you for sharing.
Great work !!!
Take care;
Eddy.
Hi Cindy,
What a great hub and the videos are amazing. I remember reading about a coal seam in Kentucky that has been burning for decades. It's nuts when you think about it.
If the door to hell had to look like something then this is pretty good.
Voted up and SHARING on Facebook
Hi Cindy, what an interesting article, I hadn't heard of the 'door to hell' I wonder how long it is going to burn for, fascinating! thank you for sharing and voted up.
Well this is the most awesome and interesting hub ever. I had no idea...great read...debbie
Wow, that looks truly epic. Thanks for SHARING.
Interesting! I am introduced to so much new information on HubPages. Thanks for your research. I think the name suits it, but not that it is really a hell entrance. That would put some people nearer to hell than others.
you would think they could harness and use the heat off of it. I know they are using lava as an energy source.
I guess it is not wasteful if you were to use it as a reminder as to what mother earth can do and we have no control over it.
Neat hub, I had never heard of it until this hub.
I want to go there so bad and see it myself. This was fascinating, and now I'll have to research myself to find out more. Thanks!
Interesting and well done hub! I don't believe in hell, so I could not say it is or could be a door to there, however, it is intriguing without any doubt! It is amazing at the resources that are beneath our feet as we walk about daily. To think that this has been continually fueled for so many years without any sign of running out of "gas" is simply hard to comprehend. But it is real.
Very interesting hub. I love learning about info. like this.
Hi, Wow! Mother Earth certainly does throw up some amazing things, don't know about the door to hell, but I wouldn't want to stand next to it!
This is interesting. The continuity of the gas makes it burning everyday. That is how I understood.
Thanks for sharing. Vote up!
Common sense check: that ginormous crater resulted from a drilling rig drilling a hole (typically less than 9" in diameter) into the earth?
I don't know this is possible. Why don't they use this heat to produce electricity. What a waste of energy.
Wow I have never heard of this. It is truly amazing and to continue to burn for years is more amazing. We never know what lies beneath the surface crust. Excellent hub and we written. I sure learned a lot. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Voted Up and Interesting!!
All I can say is WOW! That is truly terrifying. While I don't think that it's the door to hell (or do I????), it is concerning that it burns relentlessly with no end in sight. Just what is inside the center of the earth? Eeeeeeeeks. Voted up and awesome!
This one is really a sharer. Food for thought! Great and voted up and across. I sure am not going there!
I didn't know there was a "door to hell". Interesting hub!
This is a very intetesting story. I thought my country's burning of gas from the oilfield is a waste of resources and money, this Door to Hell is even wasteful. But in their case, I guess that's the only solution?
I don't know that I believe this is the actual door to Hell, but I can say I don't want to enter. What an awesome display of nature. Really cool hub. Thanks for researching this topic. I love nature.
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