[coconutt2000]

No possibility of exploiting it for geothermal power?

[The Cajun]

Fire officials say the "heat sink" is very hot gases escaping from the ground, like hydrogen sulfide.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) very, very bad stuff. A second or two at high concentrations, your lungs are ruined, then you're dead. H2S is also very corrosive. Worked for an oilfield service outfit for 30 years, when crews would go out on a H2S well all sorts of precautions were taken.