2 Firefighters Found Dead Near Assam Oil Well, Ops On To Fight Huge Blaze

Guwahati: Two firefighters of Oil India Ltd who had been missing were found dead at a wetland near the site of a massive oil well fire in Assam, officials said today. The oil well in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district that has been leaking gas for 14 days caught fire on Tuesday. The fire was so intense that it could be seen from as far as 10 km away.

The Indian Air Force and the Army are helping in the firefighting operations, after the state government requested for help. The area has been cordoned off by paramilitary forces. Sources said the fire is still not under control.

Oil India on Tuesday said the well caught fire while clearing operations were going on. The company in a statement said there were protests around the gas leak site, and all Oil India and ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) teams have been evacuated.

Experts who have been flown in from Singapore will take around four weeks to totally cap the well, sources said.