3 foreign experts suffer injuries after massive explosion near Baghjan oil well

Guwahati: As many as 3 blow-out experts who were supervising the plugging operations of the 5 well of Baghjan Oil Field in Assam's Tinsukia have reportedly suffered burn injuries after a fresh explosion at the site on Wednesday (July 22).

According to reports, the 3 experts had gone to the site early in the morning on Wednesday when a fresh blast left them scampering for cover. The trio suffered severe burn injuries on their faces and have been rushed to a Dibrugarh hospital for treatment. The operations at the site have been halted after the explosion.

The injured experts have been identified as Anthony Steven Reynolds, Doug Dallas, and Craig Neill Duncan. While Reynolds and Dallas hail from Houston in the United States, and had reached Baghjan on June 12, Duncan is from Singapore and had reached on June 8.

The Government has flown in 6 foreign experts to plug the well at the Baghjan oil field that suffered a blow out on May 27. While 3 experts have arrived from Singapore, 2 are from the US and a single expert is from Canada -- they are said to be helping the Oil India Limited (OIL) plug the leak at the Baghjan site.

There was a major explosion at the Baghjan blowout site that has been continuously spewing gas and oil. Afterwards, the bodies of 2 OIL firemen who were present at the location during the blowout, were fished out by the rescue personnel a day afterwards.

Meanwhile, over 9,000 have been evacuated from the blowout site and are currently residing in relief camps that have been set up by the Government. 

Last month, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) constituted an eight-member committee of experts to probe the Baghjan blowout, subsequent fire and the damage it has caused to humans, wildlife and environment.

Also Watch: #NewsMakers: Exclusive chat with Priyasha Bhardwaj, Actor In conversation with Oineetom Ojah