Experts from Singapore, the US and Canada helped put out the fire in the state of Assam that left at least three people dead.
A huge oil well fire that raged for more than five months in the northeastern Indian state of Assam was finally extinguished, authorities said Sunday.
Engineers from state-owned Oil India Limited (OIL) had battled the fire in Assam state since an explosion on June 9, weeks after the well exploded and began to discharge large amounts of natural gas.
Two employees of the state-owned company were killed in the explosion, which sent a wall of flames and huge plumes of smoke into the sky. A third worker died in September after an accident at the site.
Experts from Singapore, the United States and Canada joined forces to contain the hell, and Oil India spokesman Tridiv Hazarika said on Sunday that the fire had been “completely extinguished.”
Thousands of villagers displaced due to the subsequent huge fire [Biju Boro/AFP]
“The well was destroyed with brine solution and is now under control,” he told the AFP news agency, adding that the well had not yet been plugged.
“There is no pressure in the well now and it will be observed for 24 hours to check for any amount of gas migration and pressure build-up,” Hazarika said.
Thousands of residents of the Tinsukia district were relocated to relief camps after the fire started.
A farmer who lived next door to the site said his house was damaged by the fire and he hoped his losses would be fully compensated.
“Even if the fire goes out, we cannot go live in that house anymore, we not only lost our cows, goats, fields, crops, but also our mental and physical peace,” Akheshwar Chetia told The Indian Express newspaper.
The Baghjan Oilfield is next to the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and is the wetland habitat of several endangered species, including tigers and elephants.
The region is also home to several bird sanctuaries.
The Indian Wildlife Institute said in a July report that the oil spill had had a “large-scale impact” on local plant and animal life.
“Released toxins are known to have long-term persistence in soils and sediments, which will not only affect current living conditions, but due to sustained release over a prolonged period, it represents a serious long-term health risk. term, “added the institute. .
The disaster cost Oil India more than $ 30.5 million at the end of September, according to the company’s quarterly financial results released last week.
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