50 years of fire still burn inside Turkmenistan’s Gate to Hell

A massive gas crater in Turkmenistan has burned nonstop since 1971, earning the nickname the Gate to Hell. The fiery pit sits near the village of Darvaza in the Karakum Desert. Known officially as the Darvaza Gas Crater, the sinkhole began burning after Soviet geologists accidentally collapsed a natural gas chamber during drilling operations. Engineers ignited it, expecting the fire to last weeks. More than 50 years later, the flames continue, fueled by Turkmenistan’s vast gas reserves, ranked fourth largest globally. The crater measures about 60 to 70 meters wide and roughly 98 feet deep. The site has become a major tourist attraction, visible from miles away at night. Turkmenistan holds no public records of the original incident, consistent with the country’s long standing secrecy policies. Only one person has ever descended inside. Canadian explorer George Kourounis entered the crater in November 2013 with National Geographic, wearing a heat resistant suit for about 17 minutes. Kourounis collected soil samples that revealed several types of bacteria. In June, Turkmengaz director Irina Luryeva said the fire has dropped nearly threefold, suggesting even hell can run low on fuel.