Fire at Tatipaka-Lanco Pipeline of GAIL in K.G. Basin

A fire broke out early today along a natural gas pipeline of GAIL (India) Limited at Tatipaka in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Fifteen casualties have happened and eighteen injured are being treated in four hospitals in the vicinity.

The fire started at around 5:45 AM today along the Tatipaka – Lanco natural gas pipeline, approximately 50 metres from ONGC’s Tatipaka terminal and about 500 metres from the GAIL terminal.

GAIL’s Crisis Management system was invoked immediately; about eight fire tenders were pressed into service and the fire was brought under control at around 7:00 AM.

Preliminary reports suggest damage to a 1.5 metres length of the pipeline. The exact cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained.

Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Shri N Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas (Independent Charge) Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Shri Saurabh Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri B C Tripathi, CMD, GAIL visited the incident site and Apollo Hospital at Kakinada to meet the injured.

GAIL is extending all possible immediate support to the persons displaced / affected because of this incident. Suitable compensation is also being extended.

Contractors, construction equipment and spares are available at site for the restoration of pipeline. Restoration job can only be started after getting clearance from district authorities. It is estimated that it would take about 4-5 days for restoration after the site is made accessible to GAIL by the district authorities.

Out of all the 30 customers, normal supplies are being maintained for 29 customers. Only Lanco Power has taken shutdown due to reasons of low pressure. Safety confirmation on a parallel line, which is being inspected, would resume gas supply to Lanco Power at the earliest Round the clock “Control Rooms” are operational at Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh and NCR respectively.

“GAIL Helpdesks” have been set up at Apollo Hospital and Trust hospital at Kakinada, KIMS hospital at Amlapuram and Balbolini Hospital at Rajahmundry to facilitate the families of the injured.