600 evacuated from 3 Andhra villages after Konaseema gas leak sparks inferno

A routine operation at an ONGC well in Andhra Pradesh’s Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district turned dramatic on Monday when a gas leak erupted into a towering inferno, forcing the evacuation of around 600 residents from three nearby villages within a four-kilometre radius.

The blaze broke out at the Mori-5 well, operated by Deep Industries Ltd as part of production enhancement work, after a gas pipeline leak during drilling operations around midday. About 20 minutes later, the escaping gas — spreading across nearly 500 metres — ignited, sending flames leaping nearly 20 metres into the air and lighting up the countryside with a fireball almost 25 metres wide.

Despite the ferocity of the flames, officials said no deaths or injuries have been reported so far. As a precaution, residents of Irusumanda, Gudapalli and Lakkavaram villages were swiftly moved to safer locations, schools were shut for the day, and the district administration arranged food and shelter for evacuees, some of whom took refuge in a church in Gudapalli.

Initially, a dense white cloud of gas rolled across paddy fields and coconut groves, blanketing the landscape in an eerie haze before bursting into fire. The resulting inferno scorched palm trees and rabi paddy crops, with dramatic videos of police personnel and workers in brightly coloured safety gear fleeing the scene quickly spreading on social media.

Firefighters rushed in, drawing water from an irrigation canal about 200 metres away, as at least 10 fire tenders battled the blaze. Authorities said clarity on containing the blowout fire could emerge within 24 hours.

Chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu took stock of the situation and directed officials to ensure the fire is extinguished at the earliest. Senior ONGC officials from Rajahmundry, along with the district collector, superintendent of police and other officials, are monitoring the unfolding situation from a control point barely 100 metres from the flames.

ONGC said the well is located in a remote area with no habitation within a 600-metre radius. The affected zone has been sealed off, cooling operations have begun, and crisis management teams have been deployed. Preparations are under way for well-control measures and, if necessary, capping of the well, with coordination initiated with international well-control specialists.

Additional equipment is being mobilised from nearby locations, including West Godavari district, to support advanced operations. Deep Industries Ltd, which secured a Rs 1,402-crore contract in 2024 for production enhancement at ONGC’s Rajahmundry Asset, has been operating the Mori-5 well for about a year.

For now, amid scorched fields and singed palms, firefighters and engineers continue their race against time to tame the flames and restore calm to the Konaseema countryside.

With PTI inputs