When these villagers in China spent £1,000 and hours of hard labour digging a new well , the least they expected was some fresh drinking water . But they were left disappointed after pumping the liquid to the surface , only to discover it was so polluted that they could set it on fire . Residents of Ansai , in Shaanxi Province , central China , said they could smell gas and petrol coming from the well , and blame a leak from a local petrol station , The People 's Daily Online reports . Villagers in Ansai , Shaanxi Province , in central China , dug a 46m well in order to get fresh drinking water , but when the pumped it to the surface the found it was so polluted it could be set on fire . Local officials say they have now launched an investigation into how the water from the well , which cost £1,000 to build , became so polluted . Locals said they could smell petrol when the water surfaced , and blame the pollution on a leak from a local gas petrol station , a claim which the owner denies . However , when Chinese officials investigated , they said they could find no trace of a spillage , leading some people to theorise that the villagers could have struck oil . However this is highly unlikely , as oil deposits only occur between 750 and 4,500m underground , and the well is only 46m deep . Tuo Zhijun , a villager in Ansai , said : 'Who knew when we turned on the pump , once the water was seeping through , everyone could smell gas and see oil slick . ' Some locals have suggested that the lucky villager may have struck oil , but this is highly unlikely , as oil deposits typically occur between 750 and 4,5000m underground , and the well is only 46m deep . After drawing the first fresh water out of their new well , the villagers discovered they were able to set it on fire because it was so polluted . Local officials do not yet know exactly what substance is in the water , though they say they are conducting a specific investigation to discover the cause . ‘ We suspect that there was an oil leak from a petrol station not far from here. ’ However , Li Jianhua , the manager of the petrol station , refuted these claims , saying : ‘ The authorities have already examined the place and nothing was wrong . 'There has not been any problems with the well in the petrol station either . ' Local government officials in Ansai say they have already started a specific investigation . Intrigued locals take pictures of the flaming water near the site of the new well in Ansai , central China .
Villagers in derby , central China , spent £ 1,000 digging new 46 m well . But when they pumped petrol to surface they said they could smell petrol . claiming that the water is so badly polluted that it could be set on fire . Blamed leak at local petrol stations , but owner has denied he is to blame .