DIBRUGARH, July 22 � Just hours before the installation of the Blow Out Preventer (BOP) on the ill fated Baghjan gas well today, an operational mishap resulted in the injury to three foreigners. The work at Baghjan was stopped for the day, but is likely to resume tomorrow.
The three engineers from Alert, Singapore were rushed here to the local Aastha Hospital, which has a specialised Burns Unit. Upon arrival here, they were provided medical treatment and dressing. As their injuries were minor in nature, they were not required to be hospitalised and allowed to go to their temporary residence at Duliajan. The owner of the hospital, Dr Tridiv Borchetia said the three persons suffered �below ten per cent superficial burns�. The three, Anthony Steven Reynolds and Doug Dallas (residents of USA) and Craig Neil Duncan (resident of Australia) are being monitored for their health at Duliajan by doctors of OIL.
OIL spokesman Tridiv Hazarika said the mishap occurred while the engineers were in the process of removing a spool of the well head that is spewing gas since May 27. It seems the flame atop the well swung horizontally for a few seconds when the mishap occurred. The deviation of the flame was immediately brought under control, but by this time the three engineers from Alert received burn injuries. In the melee that happened, some others too suffered minor bruises, requiring no more than an antiseptic wash.
Hazarika said man and machinery for the final capping and killing of the Baghjan 5 gas well was kept ready since this morning. He said everything is still on standby and work is all set to resume on Thursday morning.
