Oil well leaking for 13 days catches fire, Assam seeks military help to extinguish

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Flipboard
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
Oil well leaking for 13 days catches fire, Assam seeks military help to extinguish
Oil well leaking for 13 days catches fire, Assam seeks military help to extinguish

Assam : A massive fire has engulfed a natural-gas producing well of Oil India Limited (OIL) in upper Assam's Tinsukia district, that has been leaking gas for the around 13 days. The smoke generated because of fire can be seen by the locals from a distance of about 10 kms from the site.

The Indian Air Force and Indian Army are now assisting the process to extinguish the fire because of which more than 2500 people have been evacuated to safe places. The Air Force has sent three fire engines, and the Army has reached the area and is on stand-by. The area has been cordoned off by paramilitary forces.

According to a media report, sources have told that the fire is still not under control.

Oil India says the well caught fire while clearing operations were underway at the site. Oil India, in its statement, also said that there were violent protests around the leak site, and that all Oil India and ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) teams have been evacuated.

It has also been learned that the fire is so massive that it will take around 3 weeks to completely dose off the fire.


Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal spoke to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan earlier in the day and has sent Industries Minister Chandramohan Patowary to the area to monitor the situation.

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.