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Fire at ONGC well in Andhra Pradesh after gas leak, 2 villages evacuated

Following the gas leakage and the subsequent fire, senior officials of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) from Rajahmundry rushed to Mori village, where the blaze broke out at the Mori-5 well, the official said.

2 min readHyderabadUpdated: Jan 5, 2026 07:19 PM IST

In a statement, ONGC said authorities were still trying to control the fire.

The leak occurred in the midst of a coconut plantation about half a km away from the nearest habitation, sparking a massive fire and prompting authorities to evacuate several families from Mori and Irusumanda villages. (Credit: newsonair, image enhanced with AI)

Several families were evacuated following a gas leak from an ONGC pipeline between Mori and Irusumanda villages in Malikipuram mandal of Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema district on Monday afternoon.

In a statement, ONGC said authorities were still trying to control the fire.

“Incident of gas leak during the workover operations at Well Mori#5 was informed by the PEC Operator Deep Industries Limited, for the Mori Field in Andhra Pradesh on 5 January 2026. The well is located in a remote area with no human habitation within a radius of approximately 500–600 metres. The area has been cordoned off, cooling operations commenced, and ONGC has mobilised the Crisis Management Teams (CMT and RCMT),” the statement said.

In a statement, ONGC said authorities were still trying to control the fire. (Special Arrangement)

It added: “Preparatory work is in progress to facilitate well-control and, if required, capping of the well. ONGC has also initiated coordination with international well-control specialists, including mobilisation arrangements to support advanced well control and casing-cutting operations, subject to site assessment. ONGC’s senior management and technical experts are closely monitoring the situation, with additional equipment being mobilised from nearby locations, including Narsapuram.”

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government said it was monitoring the situation, with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu asking the district administration and the police to remain on alert in case the fire spreads.

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

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