Negligence? Similar leak occurred in GAIL pipeline 15 days ago

Kakinada: Gross negligence by officials appears to be the main reason of explosion of gas-pipeline at Nagaram village in Konaseema area in East Godavari District on Friday near ONGC Gas Connection Station (GCS), according to sources.

A massive explosion Friday on a state-owned gas pipeline running through Andhra Pradesh killed at least 16 people and gutted scores of homes, a state minister said. Television pictures showed flames at least 10 metres (30 feet) high leaping into the dawn sky, scorching trees in a surrounding coconut grove in the coastal area where many live in flimsy huts.

Read: Andhra pipeline explosion: Fire under control, state government orders probe; 16 feared dead

The fire on the 18-inch (45-centimetre) pipeline owned by the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) was extinguished by mid-morning and the gas had been cut off.

A similar leakage occurred at the same site 15 days back. GAIL authorities had capped the leakage and repaired the pipeline.

However, today the gas exploded at the same pouting where the leakage of pipeline occurred previously.

Read: Andhra Pradesh pipeline explosion: Sabotage angle ruled out

Sources said that the gas spread up to a radius of nearly 200 meters. The gas leak damaged nearby areas and charred nearby houses and trees. 

Panic-stricken villagers of Nagaram village fled away as soon as the incident took place.

GAIL is the country's largest state-owned natural gas processing and distribution company and its website shows it has a pipeline that transports liquefied natural gas in the area of the explosion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had asked the petroleum minister and other senior officers to ensure immediate relief at the accident site.

"My thoughts with the families of those who lost their lives in the GAIL pipeline fire. Prayers with the injured," he tweeted.

(AP Home Minister N Chinarajappa visits GAIL Pipeline Blast site. Photo: ANI Twitter)

“It is not known when the gas leak started during the night and what caused it,” said Govind, relative of an injured, who was getting treated in KIMS hospital at Amalapuram.