A massive explosion occurred on Wednesday, July 22, near well no. 5 of Oil India in Baghjan, Tinsukia district of Assam where fire is raging since 9 June after gas blowout.
Three foreign experts, who were present at the spot, were injured. They have been rushed to a hospital at Dibrugarh, Oil India Limited's senior manager, public affairs, Jayanata Bormudoi, said. The injured have been identified as -- Anthony Steven Reynolds, Doug Dallas and Craig Neil Duncan, as per reports.
The officials confirmed that the incident occurred when operations to douse the fire at Baghjan oil field was going on. The operation has been halted now.
"The incident occurred when operations to douse the fire at Baghjan oil field was going on. The operation has been halted now," news agency ANI quoted Tridip Hazarika, the spokesperson of Oil India Limited, as saying.
The unabated release of gas and oil
A fire has been raging at the Baghjan oil field since June 9 of this year. The explosion in June was the result of the unabated release of gas and oil which first began on May 27.
The well no. 5 has been spewing gas uncontrollably for the last 27 days and it caught fire on June 9, killing two of OIL's firefighters at the site. he blowout took place on May 27, followed by the inferno on June 9
The blaze at the well is so massive that it was seen from a distance of more than 30 km with thick black smoke going up several metres high, endangering the local biodiversity in the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park following the blowout on May 27.
The company has declared an area up to 1.5 km of radius as "red zone" to avoid any untoward incident and damage to the general public.
Already two officials of the OIL have been suspended for alleged negligence of duty at the gas well site, while a show-cause notice has been issued to John Energy Pvt Ltd, the outsourced private operator of the well.
(With agency inputs)
