Massive fire at Assam’s Baghjan oil well Guwahati. (ANI Photo)Assam oil well fire, Tinsukia Gas Leak, Tinsukia Fire Live: Two firefighters of Oil India have died near the site of a massive oil well fire in Assam. According to reports, the two were missing and their bodies were found near the well at a wetland. The oil well is located in Baghjan of Tinsukia district in upper Assam. The oil well has been leaking gas for 14 days. It caught fire on Tuesday. The fire was so intense that it could be seen from as far as 10 km away. The well belonged to state-run Oil India Limited (OIL). Meanwhile, a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has reached the spot and top officials are reviewing the situation. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has spoken to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after the fire engulfed the well. Authorities fear that the blaze may spread to adjoining areas as well.
Highlights
Assam oil well fire: About 7,000 people from areas near Oil India's Baghjan gas well have been moved to 12 relief camps. The Oil India Limited said it has also formed four teams comprising senior officials to implement measures to mitigate the crisis arising out of the gas well blowout and the massive fire that broke out at the site on Tuesday. Oil India said four persons -- two from OIL, and one from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, and a contractor -- sustained minor injuries in the fire and were provided immediate medical help. "After the incident (fire), affected people in the surrounding areas are accommodated at 12 relief camps at a safer distance with the help of the district administration and arrangements for food and other basic needs have been made," OIL said in a statement. (PTI)
Around 1,600 families had already been evacuated from nearby affected areas and are camped in relief camps set up at nearby safe areas. OIL has decided to provide an amount of Rs 30000 to each of the affected families as an immediate relief: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
As soon as the fire broke out, OIL employees in and around Baghjan came under violent attack by locals. An Oil India Limited official told PTI that many staff suffered injuries in the attack, adding that vehicles were badly damaged. "We could evacuate our and ONGC staff working at the site with much effort of the security personnel," the official said.
The blaze at the oil well is so massive that it could be seen from a distance of more than 30 km with thick black smoke going up several metres high, endangering the local biodiversities which were already ravaged following the major blowout that happened on May 27.
Baghjan well is adjacent to the rich biodiversity-filled Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. "Number of houses, vehicles, small gardens and some forest areas burnt to ashes. Getting an exact estimation of the damage has become difficult due to the impact of the fire and the high temperature. The district administration is working on this," an OIL official said.
A massive fire engulfed the damaged Baghjan oil well which has been spewing gas uncontrollably for the last two weeks in Assam's Tinsukia district. CLICK HERE TO SEE PICS
Official sources told PTI that the well was spouting gas and condensate droplets for 15 days and got spread to a vast area, the fire burnt almost everything in a radius of one km from the site.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of all possible assistance to the victims of a massive fire at Oil India's Baghjan well, which has been spewing gas uncontrollably for 15 days in Tinsukia district. In a telephone call made to the prime minister, Sonowal apprised him of the latest situation arising out of the major blowout and subsequent fire, a CMO official said.
Meanwhile, all Oil India and ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) teams have been evacuated. Experts who have been flown in from Singapore will take around four weeks to totally cap the well.
The oil well is located in in upper Assam's Tinsukia district. It has been leaking gas for 14 days. It caught fire on Tuesday afternoon. The fire was so intense that it could be seen from as far as 10 km away.
According to Oil India Spokesperson Tridiv Hazarika, the bodies of two firefighters were recovered from a wetland near the site. Prima facie it looks that they jumped into the water and got drowned as there is no mark of burn injury. "The exact cause will be ascertained only after a post mortem," he said.
According to a PTI report, the two firefighters who have died near the oil have been identified as Durlov Gogoi and Tikeswar Gohain. Both were assistant operators of the fire service department of the company.
According to a PTI report, the two firefighters who have died near the oil have been identified as Durlov Gogoi and Tikeswar Gohain. Both were assistant operators of the fire service department of the company.
Oil India Limited has issued a statement said the oil well caught fire while clearing operations were going on. The company in a statement said there were protests around the gas leak site.
The Indian Air Force and the Army are helping in the firefighting operations. The area has been cordoned off by paramilitary forces.
Fire continues to rage at the gas well of Oil India Ltd at Baghjan in Tinsukia district of Assam.
Two missing firefighters of Oil India Limited have died. Their bodies were found near the site of a massive oil well fire in Assam's Tinsukia district.
Fire update:The fire at the Oil India Ltd's well is so massive that it can be seen from a distance of more than 30 kilometres with thick black smoke going up several metres high. A firefighter of the state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation suffered minor injuries during efforts to control the blaze, which Oil India said could take as long as four weeks to be put out. Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and urged them to take urgent steps to douse the fire that broke out when clearing operations were on at the site. Sonowal was assured of all kinds of central assistance and told even the Air Force was on standby to deal with the emerging situation. (PTI)
CM Office Assam: CM Sarbanand Sonowal spoke to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over phone regarding incident of fire at the gas explosion site at the Baghjan oilfield, Tinsukia. The chief minister has directed to deploy fire and emergency services, army and police officials at the site to control the situation. The CM also directed district admin to ensure safety of people and appealed to local people to not panic.
Meanwhile, three experts from Singaporean firm Alert Disaster Control were at the blowout site and some equipment was being removed when the fire broke out in the afternoon. No casualty or injury has been reported so far.
Eyewitnesses told PTI that blaze at the Oil India Ltd's oil well is so massive that it can be seen from a distance of more than two kilometres.
According to reports, at least 6,000 people living in a 1.5-km radius of the natural gas producing well have been evacuated. Oil India Limited announced to give Rs 30,000 financial relief each to the affected families.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has spoken to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after the fire started.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed in the area since the time of the gas leak and top officials of Assam are also reviewing the situation.
According to reports, the well been leaking gas for the last 14 days. The fire began in the afternoon and spread to adjoining areas.
A massive fire engulfed the damaged Baghjan oil well on Tuesday which has been spewing gas uncontrollably for the last 14 days in Assam's Tinsukia district.