Former Assam and OIL goalkeeper among two firefighters killed in Baghjan oil field fire

Durlov Gogoi, former goalkeeper of the Assam state soccer workforce and OIL FC – the soccer unit of Oil India Limited (OIL) based mostly in Duliajan, Assam – was amongst two firefighters killed throughout containment efforts after a fuel properly blowout in Baghjan, Assam’s Tinsukia district.

The our bodies of Gogoi and fellow OIL firefighter Tikeshwar Gohain have been recovered on Wednesday, a day after the duo jumped right into a pond close to the properly website to flee from engulfing fires and subsequently went lacking. Two different firefighters – one from OIL and one other from ONGC – had additionally plunged into the pool however managed to flee unscathed.

The Baghjan fuel properly blowout caught fireplace on Tuesday morning, 14 days after the leakage started. It had led to mass evacuation from close by areas. The properly website is situated within the ecologically delicate Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.

Jitu Chetry, workforce supervisor of the OIL FC workforce, can be a part of the firefighters’ workforce engaged close to the properly website. “We are also part of the voluntary team and were supposed to be working there today. When we were receiving our basic training, both Durlov and Mr. Gohain were assisting us,” he stated.

Chetry, former goalkeeper with East Bengal and OIL, was a teammate of Gogoi when the Duliajan-based workforce competed within the I-League 2nd Division for a lot of seasons until 2010. They additionally performed within the state workforce collectively.

“One of the firefighters who escaped alive managed to avoid the deeper parts of the pool, while the other clutched on to a pipe and managed to avoid drowning,” Chetry defined.

“Durlov was an absolute gentleman. We had played for many years together, even got our jobs at almost the same time. It’s difficult to explain how big this loss is,” he added. “It was already a difficult time for him. His mother had passed away just some six months back.”

Durga Boro, who performed for Chruchill Brothers and Shillong Lajong within the I-League and NorthEast United within the Indian Super League (ISL), stated he’s devastated by the dying of his former OIL and Assam teammate. “We had known each other since we were boys. I was with the Guwahati centre of Sports Authority of India (SAI) and he was in the Golaghat centre. So we played and trained many times even before we played for OIL and Assam,” stated Boro, who’s now the secretary of the All Assam Football Players’ Association.

“I had come to know yesterday that he had gone missing in a pond. I couldn’t sleep last night because I knew he that he couldn’t swim. It’s extremely painful,” he added.

Gumpe Rime, one of the crucial distinguished goalkeepers from the northeastern area, additionally expressed his condolences. “He was much younger than me and we never played together. But I do know most of the OIL players during his time; I played with many of them myself. I am really saddened by this tragic death and the horrific incident. We have lost a goalkeeper friend who had served his state as well as his employers OIL Duliajan in numerous glories,” Rime stated.

Gogoi is survived by his spouse and his nine-year-old son.