A major gas well fire that erupted near Irusumanda village in Andhra Pradesh’s Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema district is expected to be fully brought under control within a week, district authorities said on Tuesday, citing assurances from officials of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The incident, which triggered panic in nearby villages and led to the evacuation of hundreds of residents, has seen a significant reduction in intensity over the past two days, with officials maintaining that there is no risk of further escalation.

The blaze broke out around 12.40 pm on January 5 at Mori-5, an ONGC-owned gas well located near Mori and Irusumanda villages. The fire was triggered by a gas leak that resulted in a towering jet flame rising up to 20 metres in height and spreading roughly 25 metres wide. Dramatic visuals of the inferno quickly spread, raising concerns about public safety, environmental damage and the possibility of a prolonged emergency.

Addressing a press conference in Amalapuram, Konaseema district collector R Mahesh Kumar said the situation had stabilised considerably and was being closely monitored by ONGC’s senior management and crisis response teams. “We have been informed by ONGC officials that the entire incident will be capped within a week. The fire’s intensity and spread have been steadily reducing since Tuesday morning. At present, everything is under control,” Kumar said.

According to the district administration, the scale of the fire has diminished sharply since Monday. Kumar stated that nearly 95% of the flame’s intensity, height and width had reduced within 24 hours, bringing the blaze down to what he described as a “bare minimum” level. “There is nothing to worry about at this stage. The situation is completely safe, and people can return to their normal lives,” he said, adding that residents who were evacuated as a precautionary measure are now being asked to return to their homes.

ONGC officials present at the briefing echoed this assessment, saying the fire is expected to persist for another four to five days but only as a minor flame. They assured the district administration that there was no possibility of the situation worsening or spreading to nearby installations or habitations. “There are no chances of escalation. The surroundings around the well are quite safe for inhabitants,” a senior ONGC official said.

The next critical step in the response will involve capping the gas well to permanently stop the leak and extinguish the fire. ONGC has indicated that preparations for this operation are already underway. Capping a gas well is a complex and technically demanding process that involves sealing the wellhead under controlled conditions, often while managing high pressure and residual gas flow.

To strengthen its response, ONGC has deployed expert teams from Mumbai and Delhi, including members of its Crisis Management Team. Senior management, including a director from the company’s headquarters in Delhi, has assumed direct operational control of the site. In an official press release, ONGC said that a comprehensive blowout control plan had been finalised and was being implemented in phases.

“As part of continuous efforts, the ONGC team deployed at the site has successfully reduced the intensity and size of the flame, which had been raging for more than a day,” the statement said. Firefighters have also managed to alter the direction of the flame, redirecting it vertically to reduce lateral heat spread and minimise risk to surrounding areas.

One of the key measures undertaken to support firefighting operations was the creation of a temporary canal from a nearby irrigation source. This has enabled the deployment of high-capacity firewater pumps to supply a continuous flow of water to the site. Fire pumps have already reached the well location, and positioning and installation activities are currently in progress.

According to officials, a “water umbrella” technique is being used to cool the wellhead and surrounding area, lowering temperatures and making it safer for personnel to approach the site. Konaseema joint collector T Nisanthi said this method has helped prevent heat damage to nearby trees and infrastructure. “By sprinkling water continuously, all the trees around the fire jet are being cooled. The flames have reduced significantly over the past day,” she said.

Environmental monitoring has also been stepped up. ONGC said air quality, noise levels and nearby water bodies are being continuously monitored within a 600-metre radius of the well to minimise environmental impact. Officials have stressed that all operations are being carried out with the highest standards of safety and environmental care, and that the company remains in constant coordination with district authorities and other stakeholders.

As an additional precaution, ONGC is considering whether to seek assistance from international well-control specialists. The company has an existing agreement with Wild Well Control, a Houston-based firm with decades of experience in handling complex oil and gas emergencies worldwide. A decision on mobilising the American experts is expected within the next couple of days.

“We already have an agreement with a US team. They are on standby and ready with their visas. If required, they will be immediately mobilised,” a senior ONGC official said. Such international support is often sought in high-risk situations where specialised equipment or expertise may be needed to cap a well safely.

It is important to note that while the Mori-5 well is owned by ONGC, it is not directly operated by the Maharatna public sector company. The well is being managed by Deep Industries Ltd, an Ahmedabad-based listed company, which serves as ONGC’s Production Enhancement Contractor at the Rajahmundry Asset in Andhra Pradesh. Deep Industries had secured a ₹1,402-crore contract in 2024 for production enhancement operations in the region and has been operating the Mori-5 well for about a year.

In the immediate aftermath of the blaze, around 600 people from three nearby villages were evacuated as a safety measure. Temporary shelters and relief arrangements were put in place with the support of the Revenue Department, police, fire services, the State Disaster Response Force and the Red Cross. With the fire now largely contained, authorities have begun facilitating the return of residents to their homes.

Officials have reiterated that public safety remains the top priority and that no casualties have been reported in connection with the incident so far. They have urged residents to remain calm and follow official advisories, assuring them that all necessary steps are being taken to fully resolve the situation.

While the incident has once again highlighted the risks associated with oil and gas operations, particularly in densely populated or environmentally sensitive areas, authorities maintain that the response has been swift and coordinated. The coming days will be crucial as ONGC moves to cap the well and permanently extinguish the fire, bringing an end to an episode that briefly disrupted life in parts of Konaseema but, according to officials, is now firmly under control.