Assam: Two firefighters die in Baghjan oil field fire, one still missing

The bodies of the two dead firefighters were recovered on Wednesday.

One firefighter is still missing.

A massive fire broke out in the gas well of Baghjan oil field after a blast on Tuesday, following which there has been panic among the local people.

According to the reports, the blast occurred at a time when the experts and engineers of Oil India Limited were engaged to control the gas. Oil emission continued at the site after the blowout of a gas well in the oil field managed by Oil India Limited on May 27.

At least 30 houses near the Baghjan oil field have been destroyed in the fire, which is visible from 4-5 km away. As many as 1,610 families have been evacuated from the site.

Several fire tenders from Oil India Limited, ONGC, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh districts had rushed to the spot and engaged in operations to control the situation.

The top officials of the district administration, Oil India Limited have also rushed to the site.

Baghjan – about 43 km away from Tinsukia town where the gas well blow out occurred on May 27 – is close to Maguri-Motapung wetlands, just one kilometre from the oil field where the blow out at one of the OIL Rigs at OIL Well no 5 Baghjan in the Motapung Maguri Beel area had happened.

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, spread over 340 square km is a biosphere reserve and home to 36 mammal species including tiger, Gangetic dolphin, feral horses, 382 bird species, is also very close to Baghjan oil field.