Fire at Irusumanda ONGC well extinguished, relief for locals

Rajamahendravaram: The fire caused by the blowout at an ONGC well near Irusumanda in Konaseema district has been completely brought under control, officials said on Saturday. The flames were fully extinguished and debris at the site was cleared by the ONGC disaster management team. Cooling operations using the water umbrella system helped reduce the temperature, and well-capping preparations are now underway.

Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchennaidu expressed relief over the successful containment of the fire. He congratulated ONGC officials for fixing the blowout preventer at the well and praised the disaster management team for controlling the blaze in a short span of time while safely relocating residents. He assured that the government would support those affected and that measures would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.

The blowout occurred on January 5 at Mori-5 well in Irusumanda, causing massive flames reaching 20 meters in height and 10 meters in width. Around 500 people from Irusumanda, Lakkavaram and Gubbalapalem villages were shifted to three relief centres. No casualties or injuries were reported. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu conducted an aerial survey and reviewed the situation. Ministers K. Atchennaidu and Vasamsetty Subhash also reviewed the situation and had talks with officials.

The fire was controlled with the combined efforts of ONGC’s disaster management team, experts from Delhi and Mumbai, and local fire services. Water umbrellas, coolant liquids, and debris removal helped reduce the intensity of the flames. By Saturday morning, officials confirmed that the blowout was fully under control. Following the containment, ONGC staff celebrated at the site, and residents of nearby villages were able to breathe easy again.