Massive Fire At The Assam Oil Well That Has Been Leaking Uncontrollably For Two Weeks
A massive fire engulfed the damaged Baghjan oil which has been spewing gas uncontrollably for the last 14 days well on Tuesday in Assam's Tinsukia district.The fire was reported at around 1:40 in the afternoon and according to eyewitnesses, the 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.?
There are also reports that locals have complained of a pungent smell in the area.Though there are no casualties the administration has evacuated 1000's of people living nearby due to natural gas sweeping.Firefighters have rushed to the spot and efforts are on to douse it, officials said.The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, they said.?
The explosion took place a day after 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.?
The experts from Singapore were brought in to contain the leak which has been happening since May 27.State-owned Oil India Limited (OIL) in a press release said that after the preliminary discussion and de-briefing session, the experts from Singapore's 'Alert Disaster Control', led by Michael Ernest Allcorn, along with the OIL team, reached Baghjan well site in the Monday afternoon.?
As many as 650 families, comprising 2,500 people, have been shifted to three relief camps after the OIL's oil well at the Baghjan village started releasing natural gas into the air after a leak on May 27.?
Claiming that no human life has been lost due to release of natural gas, crude oil spillage or condensate during the past several years, OIL denied local media reports that four persons died at nearby Natun Gaon village due to pollution from the blowout.?
A major blowout happened at the oil well, next to the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, following which gas started flowing out uncontrollably.The district administration had evacuated thousands of people living nearby due to the spouting of natural gas and condensate droplets.?
The leak has also taken a toll on the ecology and vegetation of the area.Over the past few days, several images have been making rounds on social media showing dead aquatic creatures including fish and rare dolphins.?
Environmentalists, academics, wildlife experts, writers, social activists and journalists have expressed concern over the environmental consequences of the blowout near the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, a biodiversity hotspot.
