Fire at ONGC well in Andhra’s Konaseema triggers panic, no casualties
ONGC fire: There were no reports of deaths or injuries, according to preliminary information shared by an official of the Maharatna company.
A fire at an oil well operated by ONGC’s production contractor Deep Industries led to panic in the area, in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh on Monday. There were no reports of deaths or injuries, according to preliminary information shared by an official of the Maharatna company.
Senior officials of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation from Rajahmundry rushed to Mori village, where the fire broke out at the Mori-5 well, the official said, according to a PTI report.
“The area has been cordoned off, cooling operations commenced and ONGC has mobilized the Crisis management teams. Preparatory work is in progress to facilitate well-control and if required, capping of the well,” ONGC said in a statement. It added that its senior management and technical experts are closely monitoring the situation.
The oil well is situated in Irusumanda village in the Razole area of Konaseema. The incident took place during repair work being carried out with a workover rig after production at the well had been temporarily halted.
During the operation, a powerful blowout occurred, releasing a large volume of gas mixed with crude oil, which shot high into the air, according to a report by NDTV.
Panchayat officials and the local administration asked villagers to evacuate immediately, prompting many residents to leave their homes and move their cattle to safer areas as the situation remained tense, the report added.
What happened?
The Konaseema district administration officials were also present at the location and were coordinating firefighting efforts and safety measures.
"Villagers are in a state of panic and fear," Balakrishna, a fire department official, told ANI.
Deep Industries Ltd is a Production Enhancement Contractor (PEC) of ONGC and had secured a ₹1,402-crore contract in 2024 at ONGC’s Rajahmundry Asset in Andhra Pradesh, according to reports. The company has thus been operating the Mori-5 well for about a year, the official added.
