Fire at gas pipeline leakage causes panic in Avanigadda

AMARAVATI: A mini-blowout of sorts was witnessed in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh where a leakage to an underground gas pipeline caused fire on Sunday. Presenting a rather strange sight, flames leapt from the surface of what looks like a drain water stream on the outskirts of Avanigadda village.

This had people, not just in Avanigadda but in other adjoining villages, panicking amid fears of more such possibilities in the area. The villagers said that there was a gas pipeline running beneath the ground and due to leakage at some points, the fire broke out.

Though it is a common sight to see fires erupting from gas pipeline leakages, such mishaps always keep the local residents on tenterhooks. There were some incidents in the past when the authorities laboured hard for weeks to put out such fires.

The infamous Pasarlapudi blowout of 1995 remains as one of the worst nightmares for the people of the Konaseema region. It was the largest blowout in the history of India's oil and natural gas exploration. It took the authorities more than two months to bring the fire under control.

Meanwhile, the authorities later in the evening informed that the fire has been put out and repairs were carried out to plug the leakages on the gas pipeline.

As per their information, the pipeline suffered the leakage after a JCB, engaged for drainage works, came in contact with it. The leaking gas instantly caused the fire. However, the personnel of Megha gas who were on standby at the scene stopped the gas supply and brought the fire under control before carrying out the repairs, the authorities said.