The blaze erupted following a gas leak during repair work on a production well that had been temporarily shut down.
Published Jan 05, 2026 | 6:26 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 05, 2026 | 6:28 PM
Eyewitnesses said they heard loud explosions and saw flames shooting high into the sky.
Synopsis: A major fire broke out at an ONGC drilling site in Irusumanda village in Andhra Pradesh’s Konaseema district on Monday after a gas leak occurred during repair work on a temporarily shut production well. The blaze was triggered when crude oil mixed with high-pressure gas escaped and spread rapidly. While no casualties have been reported, three nearby villages have been evacuated as a precaution as authorities work to contain the fire.
Panic gripped parts of Konaseema district, Andhra Pradesh on Monday, 5 January, after a major fire broke out at an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) drilling site in Irusumanda village of Malikipuram mandal. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far.
The blaze erupted following a gas leak during repair work on a production well that had been temporarily shut down. Sources said the well suddenly released crude oil mixed with high-pressure gas, which spread rapidly across the area like a thick white fog. Sparks from nearby electrical lines and running engines are believed to have ignited the gas into a major fire.
Towering flames and thick columns of smoke were visible across parts of Malikipuram mandal, prompting authorities to evacuate residents of three nearby villages as a precautionary measure. Eyewitnesses said they heard loud explosions and saw flames shooting high into the sky, fuelling fears of a major disaster.
ONGC has mobilised additional technical teams and equipment from nearby locations, including Narsapuram, to contain the blaze. The well involved, identified as Mori-5, is operated by ONGC’s production contractor, Deep Industries Ltd.
ONGC officials, fire service personnel, police and district authorities rushed to the site soon after the incident.
The district administration and police oversaw evacuation and safety operations, issuing announcements through loudspeakers advising residents to switch off electrical connections and avoid using stoves or appliances that could trigger fresh sparks.
ONGC senior management, along with international well control experts, is coordinating efforts to assess the situation and bring the fire under control. The incident revived uneasy memories among locals of past accidents, including the major Pasarlapudi blowout in 1995.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation promptly and directed officials to work in close coordination with ONGC’s rescue teams to extinguish the fire and ensure timely evacuation if required. He spoke to Ministers K Atchannaidu and Vasamsetti Subhash, as well as senior officials, stressing the need for seamless coordination with district authorities.
The Chief Minister also instructed officials to supply masks to residents to prevent inhalation of gas and underlined the importance of immediate relief measures and heightened vigilance to prevent the situation from worsening.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
