CHONGQING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese engineers succeeded early on Friday in their third attempt to seal a leaking gas well in southwestern Chongqing Municipality, emergency officials have announced.

    The attempt, begun at 3:30 a.m. and completed around 6 a.m., used an adhesive gel to fill the leak, and then alumina cement to seal up the well, officials said.

    The pressure in the pipes of the Luojia No. 2 well had fallen to zero, and six fires near the well were dying down.

    Two previous attempts on March 27 and 29 failed due to complicated geological conditions around the site.

    Owned by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the well in Gaoqiao Town of Kaixian County began leaking around 7 a.m. on March 25 during final tests before production.

    Some 15,000 people living nearby were evacuated. No injuries were reported.

    The well is near the Luojia No.16H Gas Well, where a gas blowout killed 243 people on Dec. 23, 2003. Enditem