Breaking: Assam CM orders investigation into Baghjan fire incident

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has ordered an investigation into the Baghjan oil well explosion and fire in Upper Assam's Tinsukia district that occurred on Tuesday.

The investigation into the Baghjan fire incident is to be headed by Manindar Singh, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary of Assam. The Chief Minister has sought the investigation report within a time period of 15 days.

It needs mention here that a major explosion occurred on Tuesday at the blowout site in Baghjan that has been continuously emitting gas and oil since May 27, exploded, and a massive inferno erupted at the spot.

Two Oil India Limited (OIL) firefighters Durlav Gogoi (35) and Tikheswar Gohain (55) went missing. Their corpses were later recovered a day later in a water body at the site. They will be cremated with state honours, and CM Sonowal, lauding their sacrifice, said they both made supreme sacrifice for greatest interest of society. It may be mentioned that there are in total 12 relief camps with 7,000 inmates that have been set up. Assam Industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary visited the Baghjan Oil Field on Wednesday and held a series of meetings with OIL, ONGC officials. He spoke about the relief measures being taken by Oil India Limited and the government to compensate the 7,000 affected families. Each affected family will now get Rs 30,000.

Sonowal yesterday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a briefing that the blaze has decreased in intensity. "The intensity of the fire has decreased from yesterday and foreign experts have expressed optimism that fire would be controlled. They have sought few days' time", Sonowal told the PM.

Meanwhile, the OIL CMD Sushil Chandra Mishra said that they should be able to douse the fire in the next 20 days. Due to the immense heat generated, OIL & ONGC experts have not been able to go closer to the burning well and could reach a spot 50 metres away from the inferno.

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