Firestorm at Mori-5: ONGC Well Gas Leak Ignites Wildfire

A gas leak at ONGC's Mori-5 well in the Konaseema district led to a major fire, evacuating 600 villagers. With flames reaching up to 20 meters, the local administration declared holidays for schools and arranged for evacuees. Firefighting efforts are underway to control the situation.

A significant gas leak at ONGC's Mori-5 well, located in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district, sparked a ferocious blaze on Monday. The incident triggered the evacuation of approximately 600 residents from three nearby villages. Fortunately, there have been no reported casualties, according to officials from the Maharatna public sector company.

The fire ignited due to a gas pipeline leakage at the well, which is overseen by Deep Industries Ltd as part of production enhancement operations. The local inhabitants of Irusumanda, Gudapalli, and Lakkavaram were relocated to safer locations, with some seeking refuge in a local church. The district administration provided food and declared school holidays to ensure safety.

Firefighting teams are actively working to contain the blaze, which saw flames shooting 20 meters into the air with a 25-meter diameter. The effort involves drawing water from a nearby irrigation canal. Ongoing assessments by ONGC and the district officials aim to understand the cause and strategies for containment, with further support mobilized from nearby districts.

(With inputs from agencies.)