11 business establishments gutted in Mariani town fire
The blaze, which started around 4.30 am inside a shop, quickly spread to adjacent buildings, including a lodge, before being brought under control nearly five hours later.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
According to witnesses, thick smoke was seen billowing from a shop, prompting locals to alert the fire services. However, response was hampered as only one fire tender was available at the Mariani Fire Station at the time. The other tender had been deployed as a safety measure at a Municipal Election strong room in the district.
"The lone fire tender arrived quickly, but it ran out of water and had to leave for a refill.
By the time it returned, the fire had already spread. Without locals' assistance in removing valuable goods and helping manage the scene, the losses would have been significantly greater," said Ramesh Das, a shop owner.
Additional fire tenders, including ones from ONGC, arrived later and joined the efforts to douse the flames. After a grueling five-hour battle, the fire was finally extinguished. While no injuries were reported, the damage was extensive, with several shops and a lodge completely gutted.
All occupants of the lodge managed to evacuate before the fire reached the building. Before the fire tenders arrived, the locals stepped in, forming human chains to salvage goods from nearby shops before the flames could consume them.
While the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, preliminary assessments point to an electrical short circuit, possibly resulting from faulty wiring or damaged electrical connections.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business Standard
ONGC contains gas leak at Assam's Rudrasagar well site on 15th day
State-owned national oil and gas major ONGC has successfully stopped the natural gas leak at the Rudrasagar gas field in Assam, which had been leaking for the past 15 days. On Friday, ONGC announced that capping operations had been successfully completed at the RDS 147A well site in Sivasagar district. 'This blowout started on June 12 and has been capped successfully within the shortest possible time following all the best practices,' Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in a post on X. ONGC's Crisis Management Team (CMT), along with experts from Texas-based Cudd Pressure Control, completed the critical operation to safely remove the damaged blowout preventer (BOP) from the wellhead. 'The effort was carried out with high precision and coordination to ensure stability and prevent any imbalance or toppling during the lifting process,' ONGC said in a statement. Once the BOP was safely removed, the pre-positioned capping stack, prepared at the staging area, was carefully and accurately placed onto the wellhead. This redirected the gas flow securely to the top of the capping stack, allowing containment. Before this, an extra-long boom crane and a 40-tonne crane had been used to remove the 42 tubing stands from the derrick of the rig, clearing the path for the safe removal of the rig base from the wellhead. The gas leak had sparked widespread fear, prompting the evacuation of 330 families from surrounding areas as a precautionary measure. The first team of mining engineers and experts from the United States reached the gas field on June 20—the eighth day after the leak began. The team included experts from the International Well Control Agency. Rudrasagar is one of India's oldest production sites, operational since 1960, and is located on the outskirts of district headquarters Sivasagar. More than 1,500 people from villages around the rig were evacuated. In June 2020, a similar gas well blowout at Oil India Limited's Baghjan gas field in Assam's Tinsukia district resulted in three deaths and large-scale evacuation.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Gas blowout at ONGC well in Assam successfully capped after 16 days: Puri
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) successfully capped the gas blowout at its crude oil well in Assam's Sivasagar district after 16 days of gas leakage, Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Friday. Around 350 families were evacuated from the neighbouring areas as a safety measure. (File photo) The well, located in the Rudrasagar oil field at Bhatiapar–Barichuk, has been leaking natural gas uncontrollably since June 12. A special crisis management team from the United States was flown in last week to assist in the operation. The blowout took place on June 12 at Well No RDS 147A of Rig No SKP 135 of Rudrasagar oil field of ONGC at Barichuk in Bhatiapar In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Puri announced that the blowout was brought under control at 11:15am. 'ONGC has successfully capped the blowout of well RDS-147A at 1115 hours today. This blowout started on 12th June and has been capped successfully within the shortest possible time following all the best practices,' he posted on X. Also Read: Assam gas leak: PCB serves show-cause notice to ONGC for unauthorised operations Puri also praised ONGC's crisis management team and international well control experts. 'The operation was executed safely, without any injury, casualty or fire, testifying to the competency of the crisis management team,' he added. The blowout, which began on June 12, led to the evacuation of more than 350 families from the surrounding area due to safety concerns. The Assam government had set up relief camps and sought central assistance after the situation escalated. A team of international experts from US-based well control firm Cudd Pressure Control was brought in to assist ONGC engineers in capping the well. Specialised equipment and an extra-long boom crane were mobilized from Guwahati to remove heavy tubing from the rig and prepare for the final sealing operation. Earlier this week, ONGC said pressure levels at the site had stabilised and that residents beyond a 500-metre radius could safely return to their homes. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also thanked those involved in the operation. 'Thank you Hon'ble Minister Hardeep Singh Puri for your exceptional leadership and persistence in sealing the gas leak at #RDS147A, Sivasagar, which had been a great cause of concern for all of us. We also acknowledge the tireless efforts put in by the ONGC team and members of our State administration,' Sarma said on X. 'My deepest gratitude to the brave men and women of Sivasagar, especially those residing in the affected areas, for displaying extraordinary levels of perseverance and extending unstinted cooperation with all concerned agencies over the last two weeks', he added.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Time of India
ONGC clears rig base at RDS site, begins final phase of well control amid flood challenges
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) marked a critical milestone in its ongoing well control operations at the RDS site. With precision and coordination, the extra-long boom crane and a 40-ton crane successfully worked together to remove the 42 tubing stands from the derrick of the rig, clearing the path for the safe removal of the rig base from the wellhead. ONGC stated, 'Following the removal of the rig base, the next phase of operations involves dismantling the existing Blowout Preventer (BOP), followed by the installation of the capping stack. During this sequence, a temporary increase in gas discharge is anticipated. ONGC assures that the gas is non-toxic, and the volume is significantly reduced, presenting no risk to inhabitants residing beyond a 500-metre radius." Water blanketing operations continue as part of ONGC's layered safety strategy, while both ONGC and its technical partner CUDD remain fully focused on executing the well control operations in a carefully calibrated and safe manner. Rising waters in the Dikhow River have introduced additional logistical challenges. In response, the teams are proactively relocating high-capacity pumps to maintain uninterrupted support to ongoing safety systems. Ambient air quality continues to be rigorously monitored, with all key parameters well within permissible limits. Medical and relief camps also remain operational, ensuring the well-being of personnel and nearby communities.
