India seeks Red Adair's help

India seeks Red Adair's help

NEW DELHI (Reuter): India's largest oil company yesterday appealed to legendary U.S. firefighter Red Adair to help put out a massive, three-day-old blaze at a gas well.

Officials of the state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) said Adair's company was among five outfits whose help was sought in fighting the blaze in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

"We are in touch with five companies specializing in firefighting in oil and gas wells," said one ONGC official, who added that there were no casualties from the blaze.

The official said the foreign companies whose help had been sought were all well-known for their skills in controlling "blowouts" in oil wells and capping them. The best-known is the company run by the aging Red Adair, who won his awesome reputation putting out some of the biggest oil well blazes in the Middle East.