Thursday, September 8 2005 15:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: A major blow-out occurred in an oil well of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) near Amalapuram in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh today (Sept 8, 2005).

The fire broke out at the gas producing well near Tandavapally village, about six kms from Amalapuram town, at around 11 am and the flames leapt to a height of over 150 ft, police sources said.

About 30 persons were working on the ONGC rig when the mishap occurred, police said, adding that two persons were missing.

The raging fire could be seen from a distance of two Kms, police said quoting eyewitnesses.

The blow-out, reminiscent of a devastating fire at Pasarlapudi oil well in the district, ten years ago, triggered panic among local villagers.

The district administration swung into action and evacuated about 400 families from the nearby areas.

Fire tenders were dispatched to the site to put down the fire.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy held an emergency meeting with officials here to review the situation and directed the district administration to take up evacuation and other measures on war footing.

Efforts were on to dispatch naval helicopters from the port city of Visakhapatnam.