Petroleum Min Constitutes Committee to Probe Assam Oil Well Fire

View burning oil well at Baghjan in Tinsukia district of Assam on 9 june.

(Photo: PTI)

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) on Thursday, 11 June, constituted a three-member high-level committee to inquire about the circumstances that led to the blowout at Baghjan in Assam.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within a month.

The three-member committee comprising SCL Das, DG of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, BC Bora, former chairman ONGC and TK Sengupta, former Director, ONGC will identify the lapses in following protocols and procedures which led to the accident, ANI reported.

The committee will also recommend short and long-term measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents including identification of any gaps in the existing standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Around 7,000 people have been evacuated while the inferno completely and partially burnt more than 35 houses as the fire fighters, NDRF, and engineers intensified their efforts to douse the oil well fire in Assam for the third day on Thursday, officials said.

At least two fire fighters of Oil India Ltd (OIL) were killed and four others including one from ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) were injured near the oil well blowout site in Assam's Tinsukia district on Wednesday.

Earlier on Thursday, the Indian Army cordoned off the area as the fire continued to rage at the gas well of Oil India Limited (OIL) at Baghjan in Tinsukia district.

(With inputs from ANI, IANS)