Representative image for fire.
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A major gas leak from an ONGC drilling site in Ambedkar Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh triggered a raging fire on Monday, threatening nearby residents and sparking widespread panic. In Irusumandalam village of Malkipuram mandal, gas shot skyward with fierce flames that scorched around 500 coconut trees in surrounding areas.
Authorities evacuated people within a 5-km radius as a precaution. Firefighting teams and emergency response units rushed to contain the blaze and halt the leak, while relief camps were set up in safer zones for displaced villagers. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to ensure no hardships for residents, provide food, water, medical aid, and relocate them to secure areas.
The leak occurred during work over operations at Well Mori 5 in the Mori Field, KG Basin, executed by ONGC's PEC operator Deep Industries Limited. Local residents alerted authorities after hearing a loud blast. Preliminary reports point to sudden pressure buildup as the cause. The remote site has no human habitation within 500–600 metres, and no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
ONGC said it had cordoned off the area, begun cooling operations, and mobilised Crisis Management Teams. Preparatory work is underway for well-control measures and potential capping. “We are coordinating with international well-control specialists for advanced interventions, including casing-cutting operations pending site assessment. Senior management and technical experts are monitoring developments closely. Additional equipment is being rushed from nearby locations, including Narsapuram,” said a senior ONGC official.
ONGC's KG Basin project involves deep-sea oil and gas exploration in the Krishna Godavari Basin off Andhra Pradesh's coast, particularly from the KG-DWN-98/2 (Cluster-2) deepwater block. The operations employ advanced technology for hydrocarbon extraction.