Baghjan fire

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday ordered a high-level probe into the fire at a gas well of Oil India Limited (OIL) at Baghjan in Tinsukia district.

The chief minister has asked additional chief secretary Maninder Singh to conduct the inquiry and submit the report within 15 days, reports say.

The probe will also look into the allegation of negligence on the part of some officials of the OIL and its private well operator.

The probe panel will find out who is responsible for this tragedy.

The inquiry will try to find out how the entire tragedy unfolded and what measures should be taken so that such incidents never occur in the future.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from surrounding areas while two firefighters have lost their lives in the blaze originated from well No. 5 at Baghjan.

The blaze at the well is so massive that it can be seen from a distance of more than 30 km with thick black smoke going up several metres high.

Two officials of OIL have been suspended for alleged negligence of duty at the gas well site, while a show-cause notice has been sent to John Energy Pvt Ltd, the outsourced private operator of the well.